


And I Will Hold Onto You

by InsertACatchyPennameHere



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Advise Content Warnings, Advise Trigger Warnings, Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler Fluff, F/M, Hamliza, Hamliza Month, Hamliza Prompts, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I love this ship, It does be like that, Mamma_peggs, Okay so a lot of the prompts are late, Past Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Romance, Soul-Crushing Angst, The Title is Based Off of a Taylor Swift song, There are a lot of prompts, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Viewer Discretion is Advised for Some Chapters, a lot of fluff, a lot of romance, and I don't know how to write anything short, historical events, historysalt, one shots, so I put them in a collection of their own, some heavy topics, they are baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:54:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 39,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21865564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsertACatchyPennameHere/pseuds/InsertACatchyPennameHere
Summary: A life is made up of millions upon millions of captured spaces of time. Some are joyous, some are bittersweet. Some moments are desolate, some moments are victorious, and others are of unexplained loss. Some are legendary and rare, and others are repetitive and mundane. Regardless, they are all complete, necessary, and under the kind of love and devotion that exists between Alex and Eliza (and all that they have made), they too are good.My collective home for all of my entries for mamma_peggs' and historysalt's prompt list and creation, Hamliza Month!
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler
Comments: 13
Kudos: 27





	1. Cuddles and Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Hamliza month! What a wonderful time of year! I decided to commemorate my participating in each of the prompts in one overall collection, as it was taking up a bit too much residence on my pre-existing story collection, 'Hamil-ton of Short Stories' (considering that story's for multiple ships and prompts-)
> 
> I am absolutely in love with all of the art and stories this month has brought, and I hope my contributions make bring everyone all of the lovely, rich emotions that this ship and this challenge and this overall musical have bought me. Without any furhter ado, enjoy my first ten already-written one-shots (as of 12/19), and I will see you with the rest very soon! ♥

Eliza’s hands were clasped firmly around the emblems adorning her necklace, her eyes trained up at the ceiling as she listened to the sound of her husband showering. She was hardly able to wait for the impending event just a few days ago; she’d pictured it so clearly that it drove her positively wild. But now that she was here, waiting for him to come in and do the very thing that they’d been giggling and teasing each other about only hours earlier, she was afraid, and the very thought of her being nervous made her angry, and that only contributed to her overall distress. She was a mess and she hated it.

“What am I going to do?” She finally asked herself out loud, confident that her partner wouldn’t hear over the drumming of the water and his own off-key humming. “I’ve been a wife for a total of eight hours, and I’m already shit at it! God help me.”

The solitude was doing nothing for her nerves. She finally rolled onto her stomach, burying her face half-within one of the hotel pillows as she attempted to FaceTime her older sister. No answer; it stood to reason when Angelica and John were all over each other the entire reception, but it was still disappointing. She considered trying her mother next, as she knew that without a doubt that Catherine Van Rennselaer Schuyler was familiar with the act of being intimate, but the knowledge that bringing up something so personal would be mortifying for both of them made her keep scrolling through her contacts. Most of her other friends had families to tend to or were more than likely asleep, so she settled on trying her other closest-in-age sister despite the fact that Peggy was not married or even engaged. Somehow, Eliza had a hard time believing that her firecracker, much-desired Irish triplet hadn’t been intimate with her long-term boyfriend, anyway, so maybe it didn’t matter.

“Betsy?” Peggy answered on the third ring, her face alert and expression confused. “What are you doing calling me? Don’t you have… _things_ to do?”

“Margaret Schuyler!” Eliza squeaked in protest, her face igniting more deeply with a blush while her sister cackled. “You insufferable brat!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Peggy exclaimed as she flopped back, revealing that she herself was in bed with her shirtless boyfriend. “Say hi to John, Betsey!”

“Hi, John,” Eliza said politely before growing more serious. “I called you for something important, Pegs…if you don’t mind.”

“Oh shoot, okay!” Her sister got to her feet in a roll, causing John to grunt softly and the phone to crackle painfully loud with how she shifted it along with her body. “Here, I’m going into the hallway now…Okay! What’s up, Bets? Who do I have to beat up?”

“Nobody!” Eliza protested, but she couldn’t help but to smile a little. “Look, I’m just…calling for some advice. I just need to talk about something, and for you listen to all of it before you tell me what you think. Can you do that for me?”

Peggy opened her mouth to respond, but she then shut it pointedly and gave her a quick nod. And so, hands and voice trembling, Eliza told her little sister everything. How’d she been imaging this for so, so long, and how the scenarios she came up with always left her red-faced and elated. How the whole day had felt like a fairytale come true, and how she and Alexander had been none too subtle with their innuendos and advances since they saw each other in their wedding outfits. How she’d been getting into her lingerie while he went to freshen up, and how doubt had gone from a small puddle in the back of her mind to a massive tsunami that wracked her entire body. The guilt she felt at feeling like she was betraying her brand-new husband, how she feared he’d be upset, how she detested herself for being this way. She even mentioned the tiny part of her that worried that this next act of union, the beginning of their honeymoon, wouldn’t be all that she dreamed it be, and how it only made her feel worse.

When she finished her lament, the newly anointed Elizabeth Hamilton felt simultaneously so much better and all the worse. Her sister was silent for a few long moments after she finished talking, her expression hard to read but eyes distant with thoughtfulness. Eliza worried at her lower lip, her fingers releasing and gripping her necklace emblems repetitively until Peggy gave her a response.

“I honestly don’t think it matters when you make love with the guy, Bets,” Peggy said with none of the embarrassment that she herself had about the act of lovemaking. “If you love each other, sex is just another way to show it; it’s not the end all, be all. It’s kind of overrated, anyway.”

“I know all of that, but what about Alexander? He’s been wanting this just as badly as I have until now,” Eliza reminded with a sigh. “I can’t stand the thought of letting him down. I know it’s silly to think he’d leave me over this, but…”

“No, no, just stop that! You know it’s silly!” Her sister exclaimed with a dramatic wave of dismissal. “Why don’t you just talk to him about it? I don’t think one more night or however much longer is going to matter in the long run. If he’s not stupid, he’ll think the same, okay?”

“I…” The twenty-two-year-old began, but she allowed the statement to fade on her lips as the bathroom door clicked open and steam came rushing into the rest of the room.

“Just talk to him and keep me updated!” Evidently Peggy heard it too, because she was now heading back into whatever hotel room she’d rented with her lover and no longer paying full attention to her phone. “Love you!”

“Peg-” But the call was over, and all the newlywed woman was left with was her own darkened phone screen and the sound of her husband slowly approaching her from behind.

“Talk to me about what?” Alexander asked carefully, and Eliza could do little more than sigh in frustration before flopping her full weight back into the bed to avoid looking at him just yet. “Whoa, Betsey, what’s wrong? Did I say something wrong? I know I was in there for a while, but I couldn’t get all that makeup they put on me off without some serious scrubbing, and I thought you’d like it if I took the time to get the gel out of all of my hair-”

“No, no, it’s nothing like that…” With a final sigh of resignation, Eliza turned back onto her back and sat up to properly face the man she was so in love with despite all of this internal conflict. “I- _Wow_ , you’re gorgeous.”

For some reason, it hadn’t occurred to her that he would likely only be coming out in a towel, but she certainly wasn’t complaining. His dark red hair was a deeper auburn as it hung loose around his shoulders, and even in the dim light of the hotel room lights, his blue eyes sparkled as he looked down on her with concern. His upper torso was lean and taunt, but his stomach was pleasantly padded with a layer of fat, an indication that her and her mother’s cooking really had ensured that his previously hunger-wracked frame was filled out. His tan skin was adorned with scars like cities on a map, most of them old and white, but at least the few that were fresher had been tended to with her nearby if not by her own hands. He was perfect, so perfect for her, and now so worried, all because she couldn’t give him something so _simple_ but so complicated. She could not help but feel with a harsh pang of sorrow that he may be happier with another woman, one who could give him what he so clearly desired and deserved.

“Betsy.” Alexander came closer now, his towel sliding down his hips as he sat at her side. “You’re too kind to me, but what were on the phone with your sister about? Please, talk to me.”

“I…I…” Usually, she was confident and felt more at ease around him than she did with anybody else in the world, but now she felt as though her chest was tightening and she was growing smaller and smaller by the second as she thought about breaking the news to him.

That was before he pulled his arms around her, bringing her close to his side without setting her into his nearly naked lap. Despite his smaller frame, his hugs were warm and enveloped her perfectly, like they’d been made specifically to hold each other. Her body relaxed immediately, her face turning to nestle into his shoulder before she had a chance to internally debate whether or not this would somehow further lead him on to something she didn’t want yet. He rested his chin on the top of her head just as naturally, one hand resting delicately on her lower back while the other secured her against his body.

“Hey,” he murmured now, his breath warm against her glittery, smooth hair. “Whatever it is…We’ll figure it out. We always have before; we always will be going forward. I, uh, have to admit that I didn’t exactly see this coming, but that doesn’t really matter. I’m here for you until my very last breath, and then forevermore once we reach the Promised Land. I have sworn it to you before and I shall every day until you shall never have to wonder of my sincerity again.”

“You are such a poet, Mister Hamilton,” Eliza teased affectionately as his words settled over her mind like a warm blanket. “You love to speak as though we are from olden days when you get romantic~”

“Anything for my loving drop of sunshine,” Alexander outright gushed as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I must treat you like the queen you are to me!”

She finally laughed and kissed him sweetly, but the doubt tugged hard on the base of her heart again as they pulled away and she looked deep into his eyes, and she finally resolved that it was now or ever. “Alex...Today has been practically perfect in every way. I could have never imagined how wonderful it would feel to marry the man I want to be with until the end of the universe and beyond, and how much more in love with you I could possibly be until I stood with you at the alter…I am absolutely smitten with you, Alexander James Hamilton-”

“As I am with you,” he interjected sweetly, which did a lot to both make her heart flutter and break.

“…but I am not sure I am ready to bed you!” Eliza finally confessed, tears springing to her eyes as she buried herself more tightly into his arms. “I-I! It’s n-nothing you did! As a matter of fact, y-you’ve done everything so _right_ , but even though so much of me wants to make love to you more than anything else in the world, I…I’m so, so sorry, but I’m still nervous. I know you’re probably disappointed, and I know we’ve been waiting for so long, but I just…can’t help it. I’m so sorry.”

For moments that felt like an eternity, he didn’t move or say anything. Then, he lifted her up and away from her, laying her purposefully down on her back once more before getting up. Just as she was about to burst into sobs, something inside her beginning to open up and swallow her heart whole, he leaned in and gave her another kiss on the forehead, one so sweet and lengthy that it made the tears freeze in her eyes and her heartrate somewhat slow.

“Let me go get some pajamas on, then,” Alexander said with a small but genuine smile that radiated even more warmth than his skin. “If it would be alright my darling wife, I’d love to cuddle you all night.”

“Y…you’re not upset?” Elizabeth could hardly believe it as she looked up at him, the moisture in her eyes slowly spilling out despite how she wasn’t making any fresh tears.

He wiped them away at once, his smile fading with worry as he used his other hand to hold her own securely. “It would not be fair to lie to you and say that I wasn’t looking forward to making love with the woman I married. On that same breath, however, that is nothing at all compared to the comfort and safety of my dearest Eliza. I shall wait a thousand years if you tell me you’d prefer it! The thing that matters to me is that you are happy, and that you are just as excited and happy as me when…or even _if_ we should ever know each other in that way. Nothing at all matters to me.”

“But you deserve to be happy, too! You deserve to love me in the ways you want!” Eliza said sorrowfully, cupping his face with her hands as a final tear streaked down her cheek. “It is not as though I don’t trust and adore you with my entire being…I don’t know what’s wrong with me, my Hamilton.”

“Nothing at all is wrong with you. We are all ready at different times; I am sure of it,” Alexander insisted with all the easy confidence that he loved to show off to everyone. “I am no hurry, my most beloved Betsy. We have the rest of our lives, after all.”

She was the luckiest woman in the world, she was sure of it. She smiled up to him with pure adoration and trust, her arms founding her way around his neck as she kissed him so deeply and for so long that they were both breathless when they eventually broke away. As he dressed into silky green pajamas, she got up herself and dropped the fluffy, pale green robe that had been hiding. The lingerie she’d picked out was made up of a corset, straight-blacked and toned a deep, royal blue where they weren’t black ribbons and lacy black patterns. Her breasts was nicely held up, of course, and she had to admit that she enjoyed the amount of support that it provided while still making her feel sexy and confident. Her hips and bottom were clad with black shorts that only came around halfway down her thighs, and beneath that, a pair of panties that matched her corset were peeking out from how the shorts had ridden down in her tossing and turning.

Once Alexander turned around, his face damn near matched his normal shade of hair, but the wide grin he wore fully assured her that this was hardly a negative reaction. He slowly made his way over to her, his eyes lidded as he knelt at the bedside and took her hand in both of his own to kiss her knuckles tenderly. Her own gaze grew sultrier and more suggestive as she sat on the edge of the bed, her hair falling over her shoulder and into his face as she guided his mouth against her exposed chest. His kisses trailed from between her breasts, up to her collarbone and across her neck until she was quietly moaning and warm with the feeling of want between them that was familiar as his careful but skillful touch.

“Alexander,” she murmured.

That was all she had to say. He pulled himself into the bed, laying onto his side in order to pull his arms around her. She switched off the main lights, leaving on the bedside light on its lowest setting before sliding in between the sheets and into his arms. He smelled like aloe and vanilla, and his skin had not quite yet lost the pliant warmth from his shower, so she practically melted into him. She laced her around him, her fingertips tracing directionless patterns across his back as her legs carefully intertwined across and between his. He pressed his forehead on the top of her head, their breathing slowly sinking with each other’s as they laid still, soaking in each other and the pleasant silence of the room.

Eliza wasn’t sure when she fell asleep, but when she woke up, the sun outside was casting sleepy circles of yellow across the room. Alexander was still holding her as she held him, and though she could tell he was awake by the way he was breathing, she didn’t want to break the serene stillness quiet yet. Somewhere outside, birds began to rouse and call out their morning songs. Cars occasionally drifted by, some more audible than others. From where her face was nestled against his neck and shoulder, she watched as the spots of sunlight slowly, ever so slowly, moved from their places as the sun began to rise higher and higher. She was certain she could spend the rest of their happy union in this cuddling embrace, even if her body was beginning to disagree too loudly to ignore. She was at least comforted by the unspoken knowledge that the feeling was mutual from him.

“Betsy…I would hate to offend you, but I need the bathroom,” Alexander finally mumbled.

“I do too,” she admitted reluctantly. “But I am tempted to beg you to stay regardless.”

“You need not beg for a thing. All that I am, I give to you,” he murmured affectionately, kissing her forehead, then her nose, across her cheeks, and finally her lips.

“And I give all that I am to you,” she replied in the same soft, sleep-laced voice.

Before he could fully rouse, she decided to pull herself from his arms, sliding one leg over his hips until she was straddling him fully. Her Alexander looked to her with a mixture of surprise and amusement, and she could only chuckle before kissing him with all the pent-up feelings that could not be realized underneath all of her previous self-doubt. His hands slowly made their way up the backs of her thighs, then higher, and she smiled and giggled mischievously and kissed him further until they were both quite breathless and giddy.

He was her Hamilton, and she was his Betsey. Tonight, they would make love. A bit earlier than that, they’d make their dinner reservations, and perhaps go shopping on the town of this beautiful island. But for now, they were returning from the bathroom for more cuddles and kisses, and that was just as perfect as everything else.


	2. An Initial Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Two: First Meeting with Modern! Hamliza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Publishing Date: 12/02/19

The lights and sounds of the party were all muffled to Alexander as he stumbled his way through the thick of it. His world was on fire and spinning, getting hotter and faster the longer he was subjected to such sensory overload with no chance of reprieving it. Tears stung in his eyes as he did him damndest to navigate around the people who seemed to multiple the more frantic he grew, his words all clogging his throat and all of his formalities completely vacating his mind as he focused on getting out as fast as his legs could carry him. This was too much, far too much, and being stable and comfortable was the furthest thing from his mind as the room seemed to close in around him.

“Alexandre!” And then Gilbert de Lafayette was there, too close to his face, too tightly holding his shoulders. “Slow down, mon ami! What is the big rush to leave, the night is yo-”

“I can’t!” Alexander cried out sharply, his face a deep, shamed red as he looked everywhere but at one of his best friends. “I can’t fucking- I can’t- _Damnit_ , Gil, I need to go outside! I need to go outside right fucking now!”

“O-oh!” Realization seemed to cast across his close friend’s face, and Hamilton wasn’t sure if that was a source of comfort or further mortification. “Okay, okay, we will…We will go, then! Let’s step outside for a bit and calm down…”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Alexander mumbled, feeling lightheaded as he was pulled with haste through the pounding music and sweaty bodies and elaborate dances and fragment foods and booming laughter and tittering gossips and-

They burst into the cool, far more open area of the massive family garden with a grandiose swing of a set of heavy wooden doors. The fresh air filled Alex’s still-heaving lungs and made him feel even more lightheaded as he was guided to sit on a bench, even as he sputtered out a mixture of broken apologies and curses and coughed openly. Gilbert stayed by his side silently, simply sitting nearby and lightly rubbing his back until some of the ringing in his ears had dulled and he could finally focus on his body in the present.

“Hey…” Alexander finally managed, his eyes lidded and face still colored from the cold as he gazed to his tremendously loyal companion. “Thanks, man. I felt like I was never going to get out of there.”

“I understand the feeling well. I think it has happened to everyone at some point or another,” Gilbert said sympathetically. “Do you want to stay out here for a bit longer?”

“Yeah man, for sure,” Alex said with a sigh much too shaky for his liking.

It was not hard to tell that his close friend had been having a significantly better time at this whole affair than him. They’d barely been outside for ten minutes when a young woman, one with dark hair and eyes that were a striking grey, appeared just outside of the doors they’d come out of. She hovered near the massive pillars that supported the entryway, peeking over at them but trying to be subtle, and Alexander immediately understood. He looked over to his friend with a tight but sincere smile, placing his hand on his shoulder with a brotherly shake.

“Go on, man. Go get your girl,” he encouraged. “She’s waiting for you.”

Gilbert glanced over and gave her a smile and a wave, causing her to blush and wave back with all the endearment of a small girl in love. “Are…are you sure you will be alright alone, mon frere?”

“Oui,” Alexander assured. “Go dance the night away and sweep her off of her feet. I’ll be back in eventually.”

“…Merci, Alexandre. Adeiu!” And with that his friend was up and back to his lady, and even though the night felt a little too cold without someone else to talk to, Hamilton was more than happy to watch him go enjoy his night while he began to recover from his.

It was hard to say how long he was out there. Alexander eventually laid on his back, buttoning up his blazer and pulling his hair down from where it’d been pinned up in an uncomfortable, tight bun. The stars were difficult to see with all of the lights illuminating the pathways and plants, but they were there, and they were as beautiful as they’d always been. Even though he loved living in the grandest city in the universe, far, far away from his roots that constantly tried to ensnare him and trap him in his traumatic past, he could not help but miss the openness of the sky from his childhood. The world was wider then, all of it so much more promising than the poverty and misery he spent day after retched day in, but he knew that coming far did not mean coming away from hardships and sorrow. He was still the same peculiar kid from the Caribbean with deep, existential thoughts and fears and anxieties that bubbled up at the most inopportune times, and he was an outsider even when he was safe among friends and strangers were cordial if not polite.

“Excuse me? Excuse me…sir? Are you alright?” A female voice, one he was sure he’d heard before but didn’t quite recognize, called out. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I just…I wanted to make you you’re not dead or something.”

“Nope, not dead,” he called back with a tight smile. “Not yet, anyway. I have far too much to do to die now, ma’am. Do I need to move?”

“No no, you’re alright!” The voice assured gently. “Ah…I’m sorry to bother you, sir. Have a good night.”

As he sat up, he was not sure who he was expecting to see, or what she would look like, but she far surpassed any mental image he’d paired with her gentle, even voice. Her hair was nearly as black as the night, braided intricately into a much more attractive bun than his had once been, and her dark eyes were sad and a little bit red. She wore an eloquent baby blue dress that billowed out in ruffles beneath the wide-split base of her gown and trailed up her upper body and down her arms in matching lace on the sides and sleeves that weren’t covered with black fabric. She was breathing taking, even more so than any night sky or sparkling stars, and now she was blushing from embarrassment and turning away with shame because of his unreliability with women.

“W-wait!” Alexander practically yelped, feeling foolish as the word left his lips with no grace, but it did make her pause. “I…You…Shit. You don’t have to leave, ma’am. At the risk of sounding even more creepy than I’m probably already coming across to you…I’d love for you to join me if it so compels you…ma’am.”

Thankfully, she giggled rather than cringing, and he felt relief insecurely settle over him as she turned back to him. “You don’t have to me ma’am, sir, but thank you for your offer. I believe I will.”

As she delicately made her way over and settled beside him, her gown bundled and gathered both in her lap and off to her opposite side, he was struck that she smelled like honey and…something else that he couldn’t identify immediately, but it was sweet. She smiled to him and he felt his heart positively explode inside his chest. She was captivated, and kind. The thought of anybody or anything at all being the source for her swollen eyes and sniffling nose made a rage bubble at the base of his throat, and he could not help himself but to talk.

“Are you alright yourself, ma’am?” He asked, trying to sound concerned but more than likely coming across as slightly aggressive. “Sorry, sorry…I just hate to think of anyone making you upset.”

“I appreciate the kindness, but you know…you don’t have to be nice to be just because of my family. I am my own person, and I have never understood my parents’ belief that we ought to be hailed highly simply because of our economic status and lineage,” the woman said with a sad, reluctant smile.

“Ma- I mean, Miss. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not certain of who you are, much less your family,” Alexander admitted with a tinge of shyness. “I apologize.”

At first, she didn’t respond, and he worried he’d struck a nerve until she laughed. As a matter of fact, she laughed and laughed until tears came to her eyes, and he had to fumble to get his handkerchief out when she began to worry with her smudging eyeliner. Once she’d calmed herself back down, she turned him with a smile that was full of perfect teeth, her eyes sparkling like the stars above, and he had to wonder yet again how his panicked episode had let him to being in such close proximity with the most gorgeous woman to ever grace the Earth.

“I am glad to hear you say that,” she finally admitted. “But I suppose I can’t hide it forever. My name is Elizabeth Schuyler, but please, call me Eliza.”

Elizabeth Schuyler. Of course she was the daughter of the man and woman who were hosting this prestigious party! He had been lucky to be invited, even as a trusted confidante and second of one of the most influential war generals in the country, and here he was talking carelessly to one of the fair maidens who’d been raised by the hosts! He was a fool, a damn fool, and he would have wished to evaporate all together if he weren’t so entranced by her beauty and oh-so charming wit.

“I…I am very sorry!” He exclaimed hurriedly, which caused her to sigh softly and made him all the more desperate to fix it. “I mean! You did say you tire of people giving you their adoration for your status and notoriety, but I would like to give you mine based solely on the personality you have shown me! It would seem to me that you are incredibly kind, and you are obviously the most gorgeous individual in the known world and beyond, and I cannot lie to you and not admit that I am positively charmed by you. I know I should not speak boldly but I am banking on your not minding, but I have always been hopeless at contain myself and not over speaking as I am doing now, but frankly I cannot seem to stop on my own accord-”

“Sir, sir, it’s alright!” Elizabeth- Eliza- finally interjected, not unkindly. “Please, relax. I am…simply a girl meeting a boy. Status and formalities be damned.”

He was not expecting a single crude word to come from her sweet lips, but it only contributed to his absolute delight in her company. “Yes…yes, of course! And if that is the case, and I am simply a boy meeting a lovely lady…May I have this dance with you, Miss Schy- Eliza?”

The music from within the mansion flooded out even into this garden area, though not nearly as loudly, and he let the beat guide him to his feet and bow formally while extending his hand. There was a moment of hesitation, and she took it, her gown untangling with seeming effortlessness as she kicked off the pearly slippers she’d been adorning all night. Together, they began to dance, their eyes meeting in brief, shy glances as he focused all of his energy in leading properly and not stepping on her toes.

Eventually, she twirled away from him, and he was devastated at the thought of having offended her. But just as quickly as she’d gone, she pranced back toward him in a ridiculous, silly fashion, her skirts hiked up in her hands as she began to spin in playful circles, and he could not help but laugh and begin to freestyle his own movements to accompany her. The two of them giggled like small children, their moves awkward and improvised, gliding and twirling and dancing in entirely new ways toward each other and apart, not quite touching for at least three verses. He finally gathered the courage to come toward her quickly, picking her up from her waist and bringing her up above his head in a stumbling but successful lift. She drew her head back and posed effortlessly in the moonlight, and he was sure he’d met an angel on Earth as they both laughed and fell all over themselves as he brought her back down and the song finally ended.

“I haven’t had that much fun dancing in years!” Eliza exclaimed breathlessly, her arms finding their way around his neck as they both fell back onto the bench they’d began on. “We really must do this again sometime!”

“I would be delighted to,” he said quickly, more than likely too hasty to not sound a little desperate, but this made her giggle and he commanded himself to relax.

“As would I,” she agreed as they finally caught their breath, the two of them savoring each other’s touch as they both gazed across the garden and to the sky. “I hate to leave you so soon, but I really must get back to attending to the other guests, and to my family. I would be honored to receive your number and social media details, though, if you’d like to reprise this fun sometime soon~”

“Absolutely!” Alexander shamelessly stumbled for his phone, his face flush and his grin unashamed and wide as she tapped and scrolled until she’d successfully added herself into his life in more than one place.

As she rose and pushed her feet back into her shoes, he thought to ask again of what made her cry. He wondered if she noticed how his own eyes had undoubtedly still been puffy when she first came across him, and if they felt the same sense of dread and boredom of such a sophisticated event. He wondered if she were truly alike the rest of her family, who seemed untouchable in their beauty and grace, and if she felt like an outsider when she was where she was meant to be longed. He asked himself all of these things as he watched her smooth out her dress and ready herself to re-enter this strange and dazzling society, and he nearly reached out to touch and comfort her before she turned back around suddenly and gave him a genuine smile full of playful undertones and flirtatious appreciation that even he could not deny.

“It was fancy to meet you…” She began, then paused. A silent question. Had he truly forgotten to introduce himself in all this banter?

“Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton,” he hurriedly said, face growing more crimson, but then her smile returned, and he felt more at home than he had in a long, long time.

“Lieutenant Alexander Hamilton,” Eliza mused before turning back around, her eyes and smile meeting him from just over her shoulder. “Well. It was very fancy meeting you, dear Hamilton.”

As she walked away from their first meeting and encounter, Alexander was certain of two things: He was positively, helplessly smitten with her, and there would be time later for him to learn more of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/leave a review if it so compels you!


	3. The Letterbox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Three: Letters. Historical Hamliza, which is good for the soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Publishing Date: 12/03/19 (Technically; it was half past midnight when it put it up-)

Henry Eagleton had run his wood crafting business for nearly thirty-four years in tandem with his commissioned paintings projects. He took great, painstaking pride in his products, and due to his careful saving and notoriety throughout the colonies, he could typically afford to experiment and redo his creations at a somewhat leisurely pace. Thanks to the demand for supplies and hope alike throughout the Revolution, he’d both seen a rise in demand for his products- particularly his decorative coffins- as well as been forced to crank out his things more rapidly to keep up with peoples’ finnicky demands and tight budgets.

When it he received commissions for something other than casing for the deceased or memorabilia for broken families, then, he was eager to settle back into it. This commission was from a member of the significant Schuyler family, and requested that he make a carved and painted letter box to store a magnitude of parchment within. The young woman- one ‘Elizabeth Schuyler’- only requested specifics in that the initials ‘A’ and ‘E’ were engraved somewhere within the cherry wood, which left him as much creative freedom as he truly preferred.

“Excuse me, sir? Mister Eagleton?” A young male voice carried through his story, bringing the old man’s gaze upward from his realm of concentration. “And a good day to you, sir. I am here to see about having a sealing stamp created with my familial heirloom.”

“A stamp for seals, you say?” Henry mused, a small smile hinting on his lips. “I have not crafted many of those, but I am nevertheless intrigued by your decision to pursue my services with such a request. Have you no other recommendations of other gentlemen who specialize more in that particular craft?”

“I have,” the young man, who was terribly skinny and small in his Patriotic uniform, replied indignantly. “But I do insist on paying you. If you must know my reasoning, it is for my dearest maiden, the most beloved and stunning lady in the world, has spoken very highly of you. If she hath enough trust within you to craft a container to properly hold my meticulously crafted words, then I put my good faith within you in a similar interest.”

“I see. And what is this maiden’s name, pray tell?” Henry asked, his eyes sparkling as ideas danced round his head at the possibility of having been employed by both parties of a courtship.

“Elizabeth Schuyler, sir.”

Henry’s half-smile grew into a more significant one as he carefully rose to his feet, making his way over to the passionate young man with his hand extended with a bit of parchment in order to copy or create this symbol of his. “I am indeed familiar with Miss Schuyler, and I have the utmost faith that you could have not chosen more wisely on this matter.”

* * *

“Oh, this is positively marvelous!” Eliza gasped as the handmade letterbox was presented to her. “How beautiful!”

It had taken Mister Eagleton nearly a full month’s time to complete this project. In this time, she and her beau, her dear Hamilton, had exchanged letters as often as possible, and her collection was already too hefty to contain loosely within a hidden area of one of her dressers. This box was practically perfect in every single way; the wood was cherry colored, a deep stain that looked and felt polished as she cradled it against her hands. The initials ‘A’ and ‘E’ were carved into the very front, and all across the sides, there were neat drawings of flowers, birds, trees, fruit, desserts, and animals. The most endearing parts, however, were atop the thick, sturdy lid that was able to be lifted by opening a golden clasp. A familial symbol, one that she did not recognize but figured had to pertain to her suitor in some way, adorned the very center as an engraving. All around this emblem and above the painted artwork, there were words, all of them resembling the kind of speech and even the handwriting that her darling wrote to her within.

“I cannot express to you how absolutely perfect this is,” she breathed out in contented bliss. “Thank you, Mister Eagleton. Thank you so very, very much!”

The two of them exchanged currency, and he carefully repackaged her item so that she was able to slip it into one of her sturdy, thickly made pockets. Before she was able to leave this shop, her mind already racing with all that she would tell and ask Alexander about this incredibly personalized letterbox, the old man gently put a hand on her arm and gave her a kind smile.

“That suitor of yours is certainly something, Miss Schuyler,” he noted, not unkindly. “I do wonder if he is always as decisive and confrontational with the most mundane of matters as he has been in my encounters with him. Tell me, if you would, Miss Elizabeth…What is that beau really like to capture your heart so tightly?”

With a smile of her own, Eliza simply placed one of her hands over his while pulling her arm back to rest on her chest, just over her fluttering heart. “Sir, all I can say is that he is, and he is mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/write a comment if it so compels you!


	4. Whatever the Weather

The walls of the Hamilton residence shook under the weight of the storm that was flooding the streets of New York City raged overhead. The rain had begun sometime during the mid-afternoon and only grown more severe over time, leading to a lot of hearth fires and cozy nights in for all of the families and animals across the land. As for herself, Elizabeth Hamilton had been absolutely insistent upon making sure that one of their unused horse stalls was equipped to handle stray and feral animals seeking refuge and was only just now stumbling back into the main house with her hair and dress positively soaked.

“I know what you’re going to say, my Hamilton, and I will simply say that it was worth all your worrying!” She called into the very dimly lit house, her fingers quickly undoing her sodden braids and ringing them out over the currently empty suds bucket.

The lack of response was deafening. She frowned to herself but attempted to brush it off, settling on drying herself and changing into a new shift and home-appropriate gown before she settled into making dinner. By the time she looked up from her usual tasks, she was surprised to see just how much time had passed with nary a word from her beloved husband. It was not so much that he could not be fairly quiet when he was absorbed in his work; that was unusual. But for him to have doted on her in the slightest when she knew he’d be worried about her doing more masculine activities combined with the knowledge that he’d been particularly fussy about getting home before the dark clouds released their contents, something was clearly wrong.

“Alexander?” She called into the darkness once again, abandoning her cooking as she crept toward the parlor. “Alexander, are you home?”

Surely he had not left during the time she’d taken outdoors. She frowned more decisively and scooped up one of her candlesticks, climbing up their stairwell and peering into his office, only to find it empty. It was at this point that she began making her way across their upstairs’ rooms were quickly, feeling her own anxiety begin at the base of her gut and pool until it felt like it was suffocating her. She finally slid back downstairs on the railing, almost jogging as she checked their library and parlors before finally sitting down in defeated on their bed.

“Where did you go?” She murmured to herself, another clap of thunder shaking the walls right after making her just how aware how lonely this home felt without him at such a late hour. “Surely you aren’t reckless enough to attempt travel, even for work…”

A small creak had her head snapping up. She was positively baffled to see their wardrobe door opening ever-so slightly, and a pair of bright blue eyes peeking out from within the pitch blackness. “Betsey? Are you feeling alright, my dear?”

“Alexander!” Eliza cried, swiftly opening the door further as she placed the candlelight on the floor. “What on Earth are you doing in here?! I have been looking all over the house for you, and I was beginning to think of asking the neighbors if they’d seen you leave, and I was so worried-”

“My love, what reasoning could I possibly have to justify going out in such horrendous weather?” Alexander asked in a weak voice that was entirely uncharacteristic of himself.

“I suppose it is the same kind of logic that would cause you to hide within our wardrobe like a silly child!” Eliza scolded, but the heat in her words quickly dissipated when the flame flickered, and she got a proper look of his weary, rosy face. “…Why are you tucked away like this at any rate, my dearest husband?”

“I-” He began, but he was interrupted by a devastatingly loud crack of the sky and a fresh wave of showers that pounded their roof fiercely, and she was confronted by the truth of this situation before he could make up an excuse.

All at once, his demeanor crumpled and he drew in on himself, his knuckles white as he gripped the wardrobe’s entrance and shuddered with a tear-laced gasp. He grimaced at once, his eyes cast away from her as he promptly shut the door and audibly shifted back into the tiny room. Eliza longed to comfort him, to talk to him down from his undeniable terror and discomfort at such an intense downpour, but something within her beckoned her to wait a bit before trying again. Reluctantly but determinedly, she retrieved the candle and finished preparing their meal, assembling it into big bowls and sturdy wooden plates as she brewed hot mugs of calming tea. Once everything was arranged on a thick, curved platter, she set a matchbox and four candles- two lit and two as backup- on the edge before finally marching back into their bedroom and using one foot to knock again on the closet door.

“Betsey, darling, I pray that you do not patronize my reaction. I am all too aware already how miserable and childish this is, but I fear I have not been able to shake it throughout my maturing years,” her husband’s mournful voice replied, and her heart positively broke for him.

“I brought dinner,” she replied gently but divisively. “I do not intend to have it alone. May I please join you?”

There was a long pause, so much so that she feared he’d reject her attempt to help. But then the door creaked open again, and she was able to set the platter inside and climb into his extended arms and expectant lap. At first, they remained like that as the weather raged above and all around them, his damp face burrowed into her shoulder as she laced her arms over his and her body pressed firmly into his figure. Beneath her, he was trembling as though he were a leaf amid all of this chaotic weather, and this thought was brought her full understanding of his terror and sorrow. This was not simply a case of an aversion to storms, but a severe fear born out of his experiences living through a hurricane that fully devastated his island and childhood town. It was no wonder that he was like this now despite the fact he had faced more horrors and perils than unpleasant weather conditions, and the thoughts of all he’d endured without telling her made her ache terribly.

“Are you hungry?” She murmured as the rumbling overhead dulled and some of the tyrannical drumming finally found a bit of reprieve.

“…I am,” he admitted in a small voice.

She adjusted as little as possible to bring up the platter, settling both of their plates on her lap until he gingerly scooted himself until she was sat between his legs rather than directly atop him, allowing them both more room for their meal and comfort. In favor of eating with no other sounds other than the storm, Eliza talked about her household chores and how she’d ensured the stall would be a sturdy, warm place for all kinds of potential animals, only pausing to take occasionally bites and sips or to gingerly touch his face or hands to remind him that she was there with him.

“Your cooking is as divine as always, my darling wife,” Alexander contributed during one such pause. “Thank you for providing it to me, even to this…unusual location.”

“It is no problem, my sweet,” she assured easily as she smoothed a gown away from his slightly hunched shoulders. “I am glad you enjoyed it. Would you like a book or two for entertainment now?”

Immediately, his arms secured themselves around her once more and he returned his face to her shoulder, so she continued. “Or perhaps I could recall something from memory?”

“That would be lovely, Betsey,” he responded quietly, so much so that she was nearly unable to hear him.

Eliza leaned back into him and began simply, telling a few of the children’s stories that she’d read so often to her siblings that they’d permanently imbedded themselves in her memory. She moved thereafter to recounting the plots of her most recent literature and was well into the middle of the fourth story’s middle section when she realized that he was fast asleep. Not wanting to disturb the first peace he’d evidently felt since they got home, she carefully lifted up one of the burning candles and blew it out before relaxing fully against him.

She did not remember when she dozed off, but the candlelight was hardly above lingering smoke when she opened her eyes again. Alexander was still soundly passed out, and as she carefully rekindled the wick, she realized with a fond smile that his face was adorably wrinkled up in the way it always did when he was deep in thought. Lord only knew what he could be dreaming so deeply about, she considered as she carefully maneuvered her way from his grip and cleaned up their dishes as well as the unused candles. When she peeked back into the closet, she found him curled into himself, his face now more pained and paler than she’d left him.

“I admit, this is not how was expecting the spend this evening with you…” She whispered as she knelt to his side, brushing his curls gently from his face until his expression relaxed again. “But I will do this again and again if it will take even a bit of the pain from your soul, my most beloved.”

Despite his previous distress, he was still soundly asleep- more so than he typically was, which she was admittedly grateful for- and Elizabeth was well aware there was no way she could possibly lift him on her own. She settled instead for retrieving their quilts and sheets from their bed, laying them each over her husband before tucking their pillows beneath his head and right beside him. Once everything was set up, she undressed as quickly as possible, cooing and stroking his face intermittently until she was nestled into their temporary nesting. The last step was to blow out the lingering flame and tuck into his arms, which welcomed her with just as much warmth and invited her with little fuss to return to her own slumber.

* * *

The morning light was much brighter than she was used to when Elizabeth roused. She also found herself to be atop their bed, and it was not long before she realized that this was not at all how she’d been when the night was dark. She hurriedly got to her feet and began making her way to Alexander’s office, but found him instead in the kitchen and hard at work on a meal.

“Darling, you don’t have to do my chores…” She crooned gently as she gently wrapped her arms round him. “You could have simply woken me; I appear to have slept in terribly as is.”

“Nonsense!” Much to her relief, the color and assertive confident had returned to her Alexander’s face, and he was bright with his usual passion as he leaned down to nuzzle her. “You have done so much for me, much of which was unfounded or unexpected of you. I shall repay you in every way I am, my Betsey!”

“You don’t have to repay me!” Eliza exclaimed despite her own warm smile. “You are very generous, my Hamilton, but-”

“I will hear nothing of the sort!” Alex interjected with a smile, stirring his porridge-esque concoction before turning around to kiss her and lead her toward their back door. “And now, my most beloved wife, please take a look at this new day! Our garden is just as grateful for all the rain as I have been!”

“You have been?” She inquired, her hand squeezing his as she joyfully took in their thriving garden. “Alexander-”

“It brought us more intimately together, I used…well, I occasionally still do fear that,” he continued with a gentle, sincere smile to her. “But I love the feelings I achieve when we are together like that. No matter the weather we must endure, if it means we are able to have many more moments like we had this past night…I am happy to do so every time.”

“Oh, my Alexander…” Elizabeth positively beamed and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him with passion to match his own as they practically danced around the doorway while the sun cast warm beams across them. “Of course.”


	5. Left Feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander's dance lessons go about as well as expected with Day Six: Historic Hamliza

“I am terribly, terribly sorry! Please, I pray for your forgiveness!”

“You do not have to keep apologizing, my Hamilton.”

“I most certainly do! I am going to seriously harm you at the current rate!” 

Alexander pulled away from his intended with a grimace, unable to meet her worried gaze as she brought her arms back to herself. His future mother-in-law, Catherine Van Rennselaer, ceased her piano playing and looked to the two of them with a mixture of concern and pity, which did little to help his deteriorating self-confidence. The three of them had been working all throughout the morning and early afternoon on the choreography for the dance that he and his Eliza would share at the beginning of their wedding reception, but as it would seem, Alex’s dancing was a positively lost cause. He had stepped on his beloved’s feet so many times it was humiliating, he had issues with keeping time and not mixing up the footwork, and he was exceptionally worse at this particular skill the more he got frustrated over it.

Even the two level-headed Schuylers were certainly fed up with him, though they hid it with their usual grace, and he was more than ready to simply announce that a ‘first dance’ was not necessary. Even if he wished for it desperately, he knew it would break his Betsey’s heart and make spidering cracks in the wedding of her dream, and he could not possibly allow such an injustice.

“Shall we take a small break?” Catherine inquired with a small, tight smile, suggesting this was more of an order than a request.

“Yes, we shall,” Eliza conceded with a tiny sigh. “Alexander, are you alright?”

“I should be exclusively asking that of you!” He lamented as he took a knee, carefully lifting up each of her feet and inspecting the small bruises and red marks that his own had caused. “My God, Betsey…You must be hurting so sorely, and it is my own doing! What kind of fiancé am I to injure my bride?!”

“You are a fiancé with two left feet, and that is nothing to be ashamed of!” Elizabeth said decisively as she took to her knees, her hands taking his as well and forcing his blue eyes to meet her dark ones. “My dear, you are still not nearly as terrible in these manners as my brothers. Even Peggy took many sessions to be able to take mastery over her balancing!”

“Airing my dirty laundry once more, sister dearest?” Peggy asked teasingly from the doorway where she’d appeared. “I always knew that my most secure and embarrassing tales were safe with you.”

“And yet you move more fluidly and gorgeously across the dance floor than any other member of our family!” Eliza exclaimed with her fondness for her sister strongly shown across her face and in her tone. “As a matter of fact, I would bet money that you could help him!”

“No need to gamble; I will offer my services for free, as you are family,” Peggy announced with a smirk. “Unfortunately, I am not in the business of my toes being trampled, so I’m going to have to retrieve boots before we begin.”

Alexander face reddened more profusely, and it took his Betsey holding him place by the arm to keep him from sulking out of the house and back to the camps. Once Peggy was directly before him, Eliza began to play their wedding tune as skillfully as their mother had, and he nearly forgot he was meant to dance until his hands were seized very tightly and he was thrust forward. He corrected himself as fast as possible, stomping accidently atop the younger Schuyler’s boots and making them both grunt.

“You need to loosen up!” Peggy commanded. “I can’t teach a beam of steal to waltz, Alexander.”

“If I do not remain in proper posture, I will make us both look sloppy,” he attempted to argue, but she was quick to put her hand directly over his mouth and shake her head while tutting like a disappointed mother.

“None of that. Who is the expert here?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, forcing him to concede that she had a point as he tried to release the tension that had synced up his shoulders and back. “Much better. Now, follow my lead, and one and two and three and four- now square your shoulder and~ Turn! …and two and…”

It was only lasted for a couple of minutes before he pulled away from her as well, the bottoms of his feet throbbing with so much relentless contact with her heavy boots and stumbling over himself. Peggy sighed more loudly as he stalked to the edge of the room, his movements stiff and aggressive as he threw his extremely damp hair into a tight bun and cursed under his breath with all the usual vigor of a soldier.

“Alexander…” Eliza was soon behind him, her hand touching his shoulder comfortingly, but he was fully beyond frustrated with himself now.

“Betsey, perhaps…” Alexander began, but he caught a glimpse of her anxiety-laced expression and immediately threw out the idea yet again. “…perhaps…Perhaps we ought to just try again another day?”

“No way!” Peggy exclaimed sharply. “You would be fine if you would loosen up-! As a matter of fact, to Hell with the chorography! We are just going to do this independent-style!”

“I would rather not make my future wife appear foolish, Miss Margarita,” he replied tersely, a bit more abrasively than he intended, but his point was clear. “She is a lady marrying a bastard; there is no need to further shame herself.”

“Alexander Hamilton!” Eliza gasped. “How dare you assume such awful things about yourself! Why would you ever feel that way when our love is so deep and true?! Have I not planted my love so intimately within your own heart that you believe my words over this toxic self-hatred?!”

“I-I…I apologize,” Alex stuttered, once again unable to meet her eyes despite how she embraced him tightly. “I did not mean to offend my most beloved.”

The two of them embraced for a full minute at the very least, their bodies slowly relaxing the longer they held each other with such love and determined fondness. They only broke apart slightly when their wedding song of choice began to play again from the piano, but Peggy immediately shouted from them to ‘stay together and dance freely or she would kick both of their posteriors all the way to their big day.’ Alexander looked down to his fiancé and gave a small but amused sigh of defeat in tandem with his Eliza, but then she was swinging their arms and pulling away across the cleared floor, and he could not help but laugh as he followed suite. He slowly began to sway with her, then spin them around, hands the only things interlocked as they went more and more quickly around, giggling with childlike glee as they held tight to each other with their own thoughts of the other. He eventually lifted her up fully, inspiring an adorable squeal of laughter from her as he rotated her with the surprising eloquence of an old professional.

Peggy surrender the piano playing to her beaming mother soon enough, her eyes twinkling as she watched the two lovebirds dance and make merriment the way they were always meant to for a wedding dance. “And like that, dear Mother, my work here is done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/drop a comment if it so compels you!


	6. Finding Reprieve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING/TRIGGER WARNING: Infant loss/miscarriage, grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to check out the CONTENT WARNING in the summary and be safe. This drabble is very mature, and is my contribution for Day Six: Finding/Giving Comfort (with the musical-version-with-historical-accuracy of Hamliza)

In the first two weeks after her miscarriage, Elizabeth Schuyler found herself hardly able to get out of bed. She would lie for hours upon hours, staring blankly at the walls or the ceiling, her grief rolling over her constantly and drowning her as she barely attempted to gasp for air.

Her Alexander was there for her as much as he could be while taking on full household duties, his resignation from the army semi-permanent to permanent as he focused on tending to their darling children and their home. He was clumsy and had to learn as he went, but he did a fine job, and she longed to tell him that beneath her grief-induced mutism. No matter how badly she wished to talk, to sing to her very-much living and incredible, loving children, she could scarcely make a sound without dissolving into wracked, pained sobs, and she slept most of her days away when she had the reprieve of her insomnia to do so. She was fully convinced that she was the worst mother to ever disgrace the Earth, and no matter how he attempted to understand and bring her reassurance, Alexander had yet to break through what she could not force herself to say.

It came at an unusual time. Alexander was sitting behind her, having perched her in her favorite bedroom chair after having brushed and washed her hair thoroughly. He was beginning to carefully plait her locks when she finally opened her mouth to find her throat less constricted, her lips finally feeling freed of the invisible gag that had kept them clamped for the past sixteen days.

“I am so, so sorry, Alexander,” she whispered, voice hoarse and weak as the grief began crushing her yet again. “I…I lo-lost our b-baby…”

“My Betsey, my most precious and treasured Betsey!” Alexander cried out with so much passion and sincerity that it temporarily rattled her from her soul-crushing pain. “You have done no such thing! These things are tragic and unexplainable, and to no fault of your own. I do not want you to think that for a single moment longer! You should never believe these kinds of mistruths, not if you insist so earnestly that I do not do the same with my own self-doubt and self-hatred! Agreed?”

For the first time it what felt like forever, the devastating pressure at the base of her stomach dissipated, and the tears she sobbed out were the kind that felt more like they were washing away her agony than contributing to it. He held onto her as though she were a treasured stuffed animal and he was a weeping child, and she allowed herself to curl into his sincere, tight embrace as they both wept and whispered reassurances mixed with apologies and affectionate affirmations of love. It was now that she found the most incredible, passionate, and pure comfort from the love of her life about something that had plagued her terribly, and that he found the same within her.

“…And you still love me truly? Even if I cannot fully believe that I am not to blame…at least not now?”

“There is not a single doubt in my mind, Betsey.” Alexander kissed her head and gently dried her face and eyes, then gave her unfinished braid a gentle stroke. “Now, why don’t I finish this, and we go out to see the children and get something delicious for dinner? Anything you like.”

A new warmth enveloped her where cold darkness had made its home before, and she smiled lightly for the first time since their tragedy. “A-agreed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels odd putting this after such a heavy topic to write, but please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you.


	7. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seven: On a Date with Modern Hamliza!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this title totally sounds like it is also based on a Taylor Swift song, but it's actually a different song than hers that inspired parts of this this one-shot, so brownie points if you can name it~ This is one of my favorites that I've done so far this month!

“And you’ll be sure to feed them on their schedule? It’s very important that they stay on schedule-”

“Yes, of course.”

“And you’ll make sure that they’re changed regularly, and that Pip is using his potty? He had an accident yesterday afternoon, but it might have been because traffic was so hectic-”

“Yes, of course!”

“And you promise that you’ll check in? I know that you want us two to just relax and not worry about being parents for tonight, but I can’t just flip off my love and constant worry just because we’re apart, and I feel guilty enough about leaving them for so long anyway, and-”

“Alexander!” Angelica gripped her brother-in-law’s shoulders and gave him a firm, mostly jovial shake. “Stop talking! I promise you that Pip, Lexi, and Mini Me will be well-loved and tended to here. I _am_ a parent myself, you know.”

“I don’t know your life and how you raise your tiny humans!” Alex threw his hands up in mock surrender despite how he continued protesting. “You know that we hardly like leaving the children with anyone else, even if you’re family-”

“Do you give my parents this much grief? I think not!” Angelica turned him around firmly and gave him a gentle but firm push in his wife’s direction, giving said wife an opportunity to take his hands in her own and bring her tightly against her chest. “You two go have a lovely night out!”

“I know that you and John will do a great job with them,” Eliza voiced as she all but buried his face between her breasts (not that he was complaining.) “I know that Phillip is thrilled to see his little ‘twin’, and Angie will have a lot of fun with Kitty.”

“And I’m sure my kiddos feel the same. You two go have a big night to yourselves, okay? We’ll see you tomorrow,” Angelica said confidently, beginning to shut the door with the same easy grace that she practically radiated.

“Bye babies! Bye Phillip, be a good boy and help Auntie Ang take care of your brother and sister-!”

“Bye Alexander~” Angelica replied, going to shut her front door completely but being stopped by the concerned father bracing his hands against the other side.

“Bye, Angelica! Be Papa’s good little girl-”

Angelica was now frowning, some of her easygoing demeanor fading. “ _Bye,_ Alexander.”

“Alex Jr., Mommy and Papa will be back so-”

“ _Goodbye Alexander_!” The eldest Schuyler sibling exclaimed, finally shutting her side fully and leaving the two Hamilton spouses alone for the first time in months.

“I do genuinely appreciate your concern about our babies, but why did you suggest it if you are so terribly worried for their safety?” Eliza asked, insecurity tracing her features as she took his hand and began walking back down the outside walkway of the condominium complex.

“It is nothing at all against your sister, my love,” Alex said apologetically, his fingers lacing with hers as they reached the elevators. “And it is not at all related to how I feel about getting a night out my most treasured, phenomenal wife! You have surely noticed that I am, unfortunately, the type to overthink even the simplest things.”

“I have,” she conceded as she leaned against his shoulder. “But seriously, if we just need to postpone this-”

“Nonsense!” Alex immediately scooped up his wife bridal-style, entering the elevator quickly and using the toe of one shoe to close its’ doors. “We are going to have a grand night on the town and that is final, Mrs. Hamilton!”

Eliza, much to his relief, laughed and held on tighter in response as he carried her back to their smaller car, a hatchback with deep sapphire coloring on the doors and plenty of space for short-time travel if the entire family was loaded in. For the still-young couple, it was practically perfect if they were by themselves or only with friends, and they both silently enjoyed the ability to use it as Alex began the hour-long drive to a rather fancy restaurant that they’d reserved nearly eight months prior.

“Does my makeup look alright?” Eliza paused their carefree singing along to their music to ask.

Alex naturally did not give her a glance before responding, “You are always flawless and perfect, my Betsey.”

“Alexander!” She whined with no real agitation. “I need to make sure it isn’t smudged or clashing with my dress!”

Obediently, he looked over and confirmed that, as always, her makeup and outfit were ‘on point’, which made her laugh and had him following suite. It was true that with all the chaos of being a parent, he occasionally took for granted the incredible woman he’d made his nearly seven years ago, and so he was incredibly grateful to be able to make up some of his emotional illiteracy with doing this for both of their relaxation and enjoyment. He reached over and took one of her hands now, cupping it and gently rubbing his thumb against her palm, and he couldn’t help but blush and grin goofily as she looked over with a fond, mischievous expression.

“You really are an old flirt,” she teased fondly. “So excited for tonight that you can hardly keep your hands to yourself, I assume?”

“Always,” he rebuked playfully before growing more sincere in tone and expression. “But seriously, Betsey. I am the luckiest man alive to have called you mine for so many years, and to continue to do so until we both take our Earthly leave. Thank you…thank you for being my wife, my best friend, the mother to my children…”

He had to pause now due to the tears clouding his eyes and having to concentrate in pulling into the restaurant’s parking lot. Once they were safely in a parking spot, Eliza grabbed his shirt decisively and pulled him against her, her lips locking over his as naturally as toppings melted over ice cream. Even if he wasn’t expecting it, he melted into her affection, his hands slipping down to hold her and deepen their embrace. When they finally had to part for air, her face remained close while her spectacular eyes locked with his own, her breathlessness soft and lightly tickling over his lips.

“You are one of the finest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and your love, devotion and passion rival that of my dear Papa’s,” she whispered fondly. “I am the lucky one, my Hamilton.”

“I will contest that!” Alex declared with mock anguish, bringing her into another impassioned kiss until she reminded him (through giggles) that they did have a reservation to keep.

This eatery certainly _was_ fancy, and Alexander could not help but feel underdressed despite how he’d dolled up for this event before dropping the children off. The two of them were led to a candlelit table for two, where he insisted on pulling his wife’s chair out before seating in his own spot. They were discussing how not even she recognized every foreign-sounding dish on the menus and the appetizers they were thinking about trying with each other when a rather snooty waiter came over, introducing himself in clipped sentences and waiting for their orders with evident impatience before striding off with no time for them to request anything further for drinks or appetizers.

“Well, that guy’s a jackass,” Alex muttered bitterly.

Eliza immediately gasped and gripped his hand beneath the table. “Alexander! We are in a nice restaurant! Even if that gentlemen is…not the greatest, we ought to be polite.”

And he did, just for his beloved, try to be. He kept his mouth shut as the waiter made snide remarks about their age and ‘their generation’, and as the food took three times as long to come out when compared to the tables who’d arrived after them, and even when the smug bastard condescendingly suggested that he was ‘ordering more butter than he had seen from larger parties’ for their bottomless bread basket. However, it all came to a head when they ordered dessert, and Eliza had just playfully dolloped whipped cream on his nose when the damn server came back over to put down their check.

“What _charming_ behavior, young lady,” he quipped testily as he set down the book. “I do encourage you to keep your little shenanigans down; our establishment is exclusive to mature adults.”

It took Elizabeth gripping both of his hands and even putting pressure on his feet with her own to keep Alexander from coming out of his chair to knock some sense into the jackass. Even though she said she was fine, he could not possibly miss or forgive the tears he saw shining in her eyes, and he finally formulated a non-violent but petty plan for revenge as she excused herself to the bathroom.

“Betsey,” he prompted as she settled back down to finish their meal. “What do you say we inconvenience that fuckhead as much as he’s done to us all evening?”

“Language!” She hissed, but the mild agitation was lost as she studied him suspiciously. “And we cannot do anything violent or illegal, Alexander. I would much rather bed you tonight than bail you out of jail.”

“Oh no, nothing of that sort,” he assured with a mischievous smirk to counter the light blush dusting his cheeks from her sexual comment. “Trust me on this.”

The first time that he ordered another water, Eliza was still waiting for him to put his plan in motion. By the third time, she was catching on, and by Glass #5 (all of which occurred over the next hour and fifteen minutes), she was joining in. For the next two hours after she caught on, the two ordered fifty-cent glasses of iced water, occasionally throwing in a soft-serve ice cream (the next cheapest menu item) in order to prevent being kicked out for loitering. They talked and joked and enjoyed themselves fully, all while the waiter eventually got so frustrated that he stopped his snide commentary, then finally relinquished their table to another, much more polite waitress. The second that he did, they left a hearty cash tip for said waitress and paid for all of their food and drinks before hurrying outside, giggling and clutching each other the more that they laughed and danced around with delight in their impish actions to someone so unnecessarily mean.

“I cannot _believe_ we got nineteen orders of water and five soft serves!” Eliza gasped as they tried to catch their breath, both of their stomachs aching with their fullness and all of the laughter. “You are positively mad, Alexander Hamilton!!”

“But his _face_ every time we did it!” Alex cackled again, sending her into another fit of giggles as they collapsed into their car. “Oh God, Betsey, that was _incredible_.”

“We’re so bad!” She announced with a huge grin. “My goodness, my mother would have my head if she knew we did that!”

“Shall we go celebrate our delinquency at the hotel?” He suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows, leading her to agree and announce that he needed to ‘put petal to metal, she was growing impatient of all the waiting.’

Nearly the second they got to the nice hotel that they’d already booked, they were practically all over each other. They even made out on the empty elevator once they checked in, and when he carried her to their room, his non-dominant hand slipped beneath her gown before they even got inside. Their lovemaking was passionate and well-needed, and by the time they’d finished their rounds and showered, neither of them bothered with pajamas before crawling back into bed and between the others’ arms.

“Seriously, I think I might parents might disown me if they ever hear about what we did to that smug bastard,” Eliza finally teased from her spot against his chest, her fingers idly twirling his auburn curls and eyes heavily lidded.

With another kiss to her head and a warmer embrace, he murmured back with his complete adoration for her coating his words. “Very well; I shall again and again happily call you mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave kudos if it so compels you!


	8. Family Pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eight: Domestic Family Life, featuring Modern! Hamliza!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is also one of my favorite pieces that I've done this month, for the record~ ♥

“PAPA! NO FIND SHOES!”

“MAMA!! ALEX IS HOGGING THE HAIRDRYER AGAIN!”

“I GOT A STAIN ON MY SHIRT!”

“MY BLUE DRESS _IS_ DIRTY; MAMA HELP!”

“PAPA!!!”

It was going to take a true miracle for either Alexander or his wife to be able to get ready themselves, it would seem. Under normal circumstances, neither of them would mind terribly, least of all Alexander, but today was family portraits and they were all already running late. He abandoned trying to iron his dress shirt and strode into the hallway, scooping up the closest child that was screeching for him and settling said three-year-old against his waist as he walked into the living room.

“Here they are,” he announced while producing William’s nicest shoes from just beneath the couch. “Now, can you put these on for me like a big boy? Papa isn’t dressed yet, either.”

“I do it!” William assured, his tiny hands gripping one of his equally tiny shoes and beginning to shove it over one foot.

“Remember to undo the straps, buddy,” Alexander advised gently, plucking one of the Velcro covers up to prove his point. “See? That makes it a lot easier to get on.”

“Bill’ant!” William exclaimed, glowing with youthful excitement as he looked up to his father.

Despite all of the chaos and stress wearing him down, the father of seven could not help but return a genuine smile and gently ruffle his youngest boy’s rumbled hair. “Thank you, son, but _you_ are the brilliant one.”

“PAPA!” James marched into the living room, his arms crossed over his untidily buttoned shirt and face ablaze with anger. “Alexander Jr. is being a butt and won’t let me use the hairdryer!”

“Alex, stop being selfish and share the hairdryer!” Alexander called down the hallway, earning the son in question poking his head out from nearby bathroom with a scowl.

“I just started using it, and besides, this is mine! He can use the smaller one if he can’t wait!” Alex insisted, head disappearing and quickly being replaced by his hand holding a travel-sized hairdryer by its’ tangled cording as the larger hair tool clicked back to life.

“Jaime, we don’t have time for your two’s endless quarreling right now,” Alexander said firmly, softening slightly when his fourth child looked up to him with clear signals that he felt betrayed and hurt among his frustration. “Look, you can use Mama and I’s for now, okay? Go on and stay out of her way, please.”

“Thanks Papa!” The boy took off in the direction of the master bedroom immediately, and Alexander simply shook his head with an exasperated but fond sigh as he turned to catch his oldest daughter on her way back toward him room.

“Dear, can’t you wear another dress? You know we don’t have time to finish the laundry right now,” he noted gently.

“But I _told_ Alex to be sure and wash it multiple times!” Angelica exclaimed as the angry tears in her eyes slipped down her face. “He never listens!”

“Angie, darling, you are welcome to borrow one of my dresses if you’d like.” Eliza appeared in their doorway now, nearly glowing in how perfect she looked despite how clearly unready she was. “Jaime and I are in the bathroom right now, so you’ll need to go back to your room to change-”

“Really, Mama??” The sixteen-year-old was immediately rosy with excitement and hope once more. “I can wear something of yours??”

“Yes, of course, baby. I would suggest looking toward the back of my clothes if you want it to fit a little better, okay?”

“THANK YOU MAMA!” Angelica squealed as she dashed toward the room, pausing briefly to tightly embrace her mother before ducking into the closet.

“That crisis is averted; what’s next?” His Betsey said with a small, tired smile to Alexander; even that made his heart flutter, even all their years of being together later.

“I assume somebody is going to try and burn down our house,” Alexander replied while mirroring her expression. “At least our little one and eldest are behaving themselves…”

“ACK! Lizzie!” Phillip’s voice cried out from somewhere in the house.

“…for the most part,” Alexander amended with a small grimace.

As it turned out, their youngest child had decided to take a handful of strands out of her oldest brother’s hair and was now attempting to eat them while Phillip tried to hold her and clean up a very evident spot of spit-up from his suit jacket. Alexander quickly took little Lizzie and threw the strands of hair away, giving him a sympathetic smile to him as he soothed the baby’s fussing.

“Just toss that top in the laundry and find another one,” he advised. “I’ll take her from here. Thank you, son.”

“Anytime,” Phillip replied with a twisted-up expression, which was perfectly understandable if not relatable for his father.

“My, my, little one,” Alexander cooed nevertheless to his daughter as he carried her back into his bedroom. “You’re quite the little ball of energy today! Aren’t you? Aren’t you, Lizzie??”

Lizzie babbled happily in response, in turn causing her father to smile genuinely despite all of the stresses of trying to get a big family ready and out of the door for a formal affair. As he entered his room again, Alexander took note that John, their fifth child, was standing patiently in front of Eliza as she combed out his mass of curls. The boy’s jacket was also sitting beside her on the bed with baking powder on top of a large wet spot located on the right side of the fabric; he assumed this meant his wife was trying to remove and dry whatever stain he’d yelled about earlier. As for himself, he gently set their youngest in her playpen and ducked into the bathroom to finish cleaning up the edges of his facial hair. Unsurprisingly, James was still in there and using the blow dryer, but the lack of talking between them for several minutes was bound not to last.

“When am I going to grow hair on my face like that?” James inquired, touching his own youthful face while studying his father’s intently.

“Well, let’s see…You’re eight now, so it shouldn’t be terribly longer before you’ll begin seeing hairs pop up around your lip and chin,” Alexander mused with a reassuring smile to the child. “But don’t be in too much of a hurry, son. There is a lot of upkeep involved to make facial hair look nice, and it can be a big pain in the summertime.”

“Is that why a lot of guys just shave it off when it’s hot?”

“That’s exactly why.”

“Then why don’t you do that too, Papa??”

The tips of his ears warmed, and Alexander was immediately grateful that said facial hair covered the light blush now adorning his cheeks. “Because I’m afraid I have a baby face, son.”

“What’s a baby face?” James screwed up his nose and peeked out of the bathroom to his younger sister. “Like…your face looks like Lizzie’s??”

“Kind of,” Alexander conceded with a small chuckle. “It means that my face looks a lot younger than I actually am, and it makes me look…silly. Does that make sense?”

James considered it for a moment before nodding. “Okay! At least it’s better than having a girl face. If you had a girl face _and_ a baby face, I bet not even a big beard would fix that!”

“I’ll consider myself lucky,” the father of seven chuckled. “If your hair is dry, run along and finish getting ready, okay? And tell your brothers and sister that we’re leaving in fifteen minutes, so to get on it!”

“Okay Papa!” The boy brightened at the responsibility and quickly dashed out, yelling into the hallway with new energy, leaving his father to sigh softly and roll his eyes fondly as he turned his electric razor back on.

“Children,” Eliza offered from behind him when was finally satisfied with his face. “What I would give to have that much energy again.”

“Hear here,” he grunted without any real malice, turning to kiss her and blinking in alarm when she took his face hostage in one hand while reaching for something on the bathroom counter immediately thereafter.

“You’re certainly one to talk,” she teased before beginning to rapidly pat beneath his eyes with some kind of tan sponge. “You work more tirelessly than anyone I’ve ever known!”

“I didn’t make it here by being sedentary, dear,” he reminded with a bit of a pout. “And what on Earth are you doing to my face??”

“Well, Mister Workaholic, I’m covering up the circles and bags beneath your eyes!” She declared as she recovered her strangely shaped sponge with similarly colored liquid makeup. “Maybe if you took breaks and got more sleep, I wouldn’t have to put makeup on you~”

“Sure you would!” He teased back with a small snort. “Have you seen my face? I need it _far_ more than you ever have or ever will need!”

“Alexander Hamilton, what did we talk about?” Eliza’s expression filled with worry, and he immediately regretted slipping in a self-deprecating joke against his better judgement.

“Sorry,” he said bashfully. “I’ll…I’ll keep working on it, baby. I promise.”

“I know you will!” Eliza said firmly before spritzing his face with something in a black bottle and kissing him gently. “There.”

“Thank you, love,” he said affectionately while brushing a few stray hairs from her face. “You look as flawless as ever.”

“You’re quite the flatterer, Mister Hamilton,” she crooned back while tapping his nose lightly. “But I thank you for it.”

“MAMA MY HAIR ISN’T COOPERATING!” Alex. Jr and Angelica yelled simultaneously, pulling both parents apart at once.

“PAPA!” William shrieked immediately thereafter.

“Back to work,” Alexander said with a small smile to his exasperated but doting wife. “We can get back to cuddling when this is all done and we get everyone down for naps, yeah?”

“Right,” she agreed with a determined smile. “Let’s do it.”

It took nearly twenty more minutes for everyone to be fixed up properly and loaded into the family car, but they managed to only be eight minutes tardy to their original appointment with their well-loved photography business. Alexander and Eliza sat off to the side for much of the first hour, largely occupied by keeping the younger ones entertained and happy for the cameras. After that, they were filtered in and out with their seven angels, and Alexander could not help but practically drool every time his wife held their children close and gave a genuine smile to the photographers snapping away. She was perfect and so were his kiddos, even when they acted flawed or difficult, and he affirmed yet again that he was the luckiest man in the world for having known them, more so than for any of his other achievements.

“Alright, let’s start wrapping this up with some shots of the whole family!” The head photographer announced during the final twenty minutes of their booked slot. “Mom and Dad, I want you to sit on the bench here, alright? Phillip, Angelica, and Alex Jr., I need all of you to stand in the back, and we’ll adjust the rest of you in a minute, okay?”

Alexander laced his hand with his Eliza’s as their children were arranged around them, smiling to her with a mixture of relief and affection before their youngest was placed in his lap and she began trying to stand up against him. “Whoa there, Liz! Where are you going, hmm?? Where are you going, silly girl?”

He could feel his wife’s eyes on him for a few moments longer, causing him to flush happily and give her a wink before their youngest son leaned against her lap with a sleepy whine. Eliza began to murmur comfortingly to the boy, gently rubbing his back as James stood directly behind his youngest brother and John stood horizontally flush to him on Alexander’s side.

“You’ve done really great today, son,” Alexander offered to his six-year-old, as the boy looked just as tired as William and slightly irritated as he fidgeted lightly in place. “I’m very proud of you, my little lamb.”

At this, John brightened up while giving his father an affectionate, adoring grin that positively melted the man’s heart all over again. The photographers began snapping away and waving different toys to get the younger ones’ attention, and once Alexander was sure that they’d taken at least half of their memory cards up with the full-family shots, the crew encouraged the children to sit back and relax while they ‘took some nice shots of Mommy and Daddy for the wall.’

“Of just us?” Alexander questioned, admittedly surprised.

“Of course,” Eliza answered before the photographers could. “After all, we _are_ the reason all of our beautiful children came to be, and I love posing with my most handsome man.”

“As I do with my most gorgeous wife,” he crooned.

Their younger children naturally gagged and complained while the other ones teased, and Alexander was once again grateful for his facial hair mostly concealing his embarrassment, but if truth were told he didn’t truly mind at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	9. A Surprise Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Nine: At the Beach, once again with Modern Hamliza because we stan.

“Am I allowed to take off this blindfold yet?” Eliza asked with a smile as she felt the car come to a complete stop and heard her husband push the gear into ‘park.’

“Not yet, my turtle dove!” Alex insisted, laughter lacing his words. “You’ll just have to trust me for a little longer, okay?”

“I always trust you, but I want to know where you’ve brought me!” She exclaimed in a similar tone, but she didn’t fuss as he retrieved something out of the back of the car before opening her door and helping her to stand.

The scent of the ocean was too strong to deny as soon as she got out into the open air. She inhaled deeply and let it out in a happy sigh, and she could only imagine her partner smiling as he took her hand and led her toward the sound of crashing waves. The sand was cool between her toes as they trekked forward, and she could not help but grow nervous that he may be taking her to touch the water. They were well in the month of October, after all, and they were here too late in the day for there be a chance of the sun making it pleasant to feel. She was bracing for impact when they suddenly changed directions, walking horizontal to the tide for only a couple of minutes before they stopped all together.

“Are you cold?” Alex inquired as she stood alone for a few moments while a cold breeze swept through, causing her to shiver.

“I’m quaking with anticipation!” She exclaimed playfully. “Can I take it off _now_?”

“Not yet, not yet!” He laughed, but she felt the heavy weight of some kind of blanket over her shoulders before he continued rustling around somewhere ahead of her, and this made her content to relax patiently.

It took a few more minutes of excited anticipation on her part, but at last he retook her hands and led her to stand on some kind of heavy fabric before encouraging her to sit down and get comfortable. The blanket or towel beneath her was much warmer than the chilled sand, and she found herself able to readjust the blanket or coat to rest more casually against her in response. She heard her Alexander settle in front of her, and the unmistakable click of a lighter before he finally placed his hands on either side of her blindfold.

“Alright, we can take it off now,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself. “Three…two…one!”

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkening night that fell over the country while she was unable to see, but she let out a thrilled gasp once they did. They were sitting on a thick quilt, one that she recognized as being from her mother, and there were lit tealights all around the edges as well as larger candles burning in mason jars on the blanket. A large picnic basket was neatly set off to the side, and she could already see all kinds of delicious food inside, such as grapes, a thick loaf of bread, cheese, and chocolates. Plates were already arranged between them along with silverware and napkins, and in the spectacular colors adorning the sky and the sparkling candlelight, her most beloved spouse practically glowed before her with his adorably nervous smile and bright eyes.

“Do you like it?” He asked nervously.

She grinned so broadly that her face ached as she threw her arms around him, closing the small space between them as she laughed in delight and kissed him passionately. The two of them rolled around, trying to be conscious of their flames while also losing themselves in the others’ embrace and lips. When they finally sat back up around five minutes later, both of them were rumpled but laughing breathlessly, and she carefully maneuvered herself back in place as he gave her an expected but adorable pout.

“You don’t want to sit in my lap and watch the tide?” He whined lightly.

“I’d much rather sit so I can watch you,” she replied with a smile.

The two of them adjusted so that they could face each other at an angle while still looking at the darkening horizon. They then ate their feast, laughing and talking like it was their very first date rather than their hundredth or so. Even in the short year and a half she’d known him, Eliza felt as though she’d been with her husband all of her life, and she knew confidently that he felt quite the same. It was why they were engaged after ten months and wed on their first anniversary, and certainly why their family was beginning to grow already.

“Thank you for bringing me out here,” she finally murmured as the last of the sunset fled from the sky. “This was…really special.”

“And it’s not over yet!” He took her hands in his, kissing them gently before helping her back to her feet. “Will you join me to the hot tub?”

“A hot tub? In this weather?” Eliza laughed but wrapped herself into his arm again. “Besides, we would need to be renting one of these beachside condominiums to use their facilities.”

“Well, I suppose that ruins that surprise~” Alex drawled mischievously.

Immediately Eliza perked up, twisting around to look at him properly. “You didn’t!! Oh my goodness, Alexander, but your job-?”

“Took off,” he interjected with a smile, his hand lowering to her belly before he gave it a kiss. “I took off the entire week to spend here with you before our baby is born. You always want me to take breaks, and I would not rather take one with anyone else in the world.”

Thanks to her being an online college student, she moved to the next issue, albeit with hopefulness that he had really taken care of everything. “What about packing??”

“Already did it and got Angie and Peggy to help me,” he confirmed. “And the hot tubs are inside, so we can still use them without freezing our asses off.”

Life was unpredictable with being wed to Alexander Hamilton; in that she could trust as much as she did for him overall. She helped him pack up their dinner as much as she could with her ever-growing belly, then slipped her hand in his and hoisted up the bigger latter he’d produced as they blew out the candles. “Let’s get our break started, my Hamilton.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	10. Validations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Content Wanings: Self-hatred, some body negativity, s*x 
> 
> This chapter is not smut, but it is for MATURE EYES ONLY! Day Ten: Kisses, featuring Historic Hamliza!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A MATURE CHAPTER! This one-shot is certainly not smut, but it does not shy away from some description of lovemaking and foreplay, so VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED! 
> 
> With an entire month dedicated to a power couple that made eight children, things were bound to get saucy eventually, and Eliza was bound to experience some old insecurities with new vigor.

Eliza laid on the bed she shared with Alexander, eyes closed and curled up tightly so that nobody was able to properly look at her. In the nearby nursery, their miracle child, their angelic Little Phil, was sound asleep in his bassinette while his siblings slept or otherwise occupied themselves throughout the Grange. For another evening, she found herself alone with her thoughts while her husband worked tirelessly in his office. He’d been even more of a family man since the soul-crushing death of their eldest son by way of a horrendously unfair duel, but he still wanted to provide a kinder, more comfortable life for his family than he’d had growing up, so she would still spend evenings alone until he crawled in much later in the morning to join her in bed.

She had several sewing projects that she could typically be happy to do until she grew more fatigued, but she could not seem to rouse herself from the depressive slump she’d collapsed into bed with. She could no longer bear to look at her body any more than absolutely necessary, and thanks to many of her projects being for herself as a result of recent pregnancy, it would be impossible to do them accurately and attractively without the mirror and self-measurement. Having eight beautiful children had taken its toll on her body through the years, and given that she was quite insecure in her figure post the birth of their much-adored second daughter, her confidence was completely lost with the birth of their final son as well as the never-ending, torturous grief that the loss of their firstborn brought. Being the generous and fairly private person that she was, she did not care to bother her loved ones with such frivolous talk when she knew they’d protest her self-deprecation with vigor, but it mattered tremendously to her (which only made her inner turmoil worse.)

She was so consumed with her self-hatred that she did not notice the bedroom door opening, and she was positively startled when the bed creaked down and a pair of warm arms wrapped fully around her torso. “Alexander! You’re done quite early!”

“Why are you lying here all alone in the dark, my dear?” Alexander murmured as he adjusted against her, his body fitting against hers naturally from the all years they’d spent being close to each other, but now it only reminded her of the flaws he so intimately knew of her physical frame.

“I suppose I do not feel my best,” Eliza mumbled weakly by way of excuse. “I do not want to infect you with my ailment.”

“Shall I ring for a doctor?” At once he was sitting up again, his eyes frantic as they scanned her and his hands quickly clutched hers. “Do you reckon that it’s fever? What have your symptoms been? Are you feeling faint or fatigued?”

She wanted to brush him off with general excuses for a temporary sickness spell, but the way he was looking at her made it clear that she could not lie to her husband. The two of them had already lost so incredibly much, and neither of them had the slightest idea what they would do or how they would go on without the other. She did not figure that his heart would be able to bear more breakage now, and there was no reason other than her more selfish inner voice that she should push him away now. The poor man had been punished enough for the heartbreak he’d caused, and she had certainly endured enough of the painful separation to last the rest of the century.

“I…I am afraid this condition is more within my head,” Eliza explained carefully. “I…regret to tell you, but my confidence concerning my… _very_ well-worn body has waned more severely tonight. I am sure it is nothing that a night of sleep cannot ease the pangs of, so please, do not worry yourself too adamantly.”

“Your confidence is diminished in concern to your ‘well-worn’ body?” Alexander echoed with evident disbelief lacing his words. “Why on Earth would you speak with such negative connotation to yourself? You are the most beautiful and flawless woman in this country! Hell, in the world!”

Silence enveloped them with the silent answer for some of her doubt. Eliza knew well that the affair that her husband had participated in was more about his own weaknesses and less about the gorgeous young girl that seduced him, but it was not lost on her how this youth compared to her own aching, drab body. Nearly all of her youthful attributes were sagging and wrinkled, showing her age more than her face gave away, but even her eyes had developed deep bags and marks to rival even her husband’s while lines lightly adorned her cheeks. She was beginning to be respected more as an elder by those in her life despite the fact that she’d just born a perfectly healthy child, and that bothered her more than she could’ve anticipated it would.

“May I try something?” He asked softly after at least a couple of minutes of the uncomfortable unspoken tension.

“Go ahead,” she replied quietly, tinges of guilt trailing her words.

Alexander gave a thoughtful nod before sliding out of the bed, leaving her feeling cold and somewhat abandoned despite her logical thoughts that he would be back shortly. She did not anticipate how he came to the foot of their bed, nor how he gently unbundled her from both the sheets and her own self until she was laying flatly before him, legs spready slightly and feeling entirely exposed before his calculating gaze.

“Alexander-” She whined weakly, encouraging him to quickly lean down and press two gentle kisses to the tops of her feet, something so unprecedented that she let out a small squeak.

“I love your feet because they help you get from place to place, and they ground someone as incredible as you to the world,” he whispered tenderly against her flesh before easing back up onto the bed on his knees. “And…I love your ankles, because they help you keep your balance and stay comfortable when you’re going through your day.”

He proceeded to tenderly kiss each of her ankles, something that made her laugh softly despite her confusion. “My Hamilton, what in the world are you on about?”

“Well, my most beloved Betsey has clearly lost her means of identifying every perfect aspect of her body, so I intend to remind her of how I just adore every part of her!” Alexander replied with complete confidence that left no room for protest.

And so, Eliza laid obediently as he trailed his lips up her legs, whispering compliments against her skin, occasionally making her giggle. He loved her shins because they were strong and adorned with ‘markings of a good life’. He loved her knees because they helped her bend down to give affection as well as talk to their children. He loved her thighs because they gave their babies a soft place to brace against during birth. He spent extra time between her legs, mumbling endless compliments that sent her into complete extasy and made her feel positively empowered. It had been quite some time since she was the sole recipient of pleasure, and she was too breathless and high from such continuous, expert elation that she did not even insist on trying to give him similar treatment when he gently denied it in favor of pampering her.

He loved her hips because they helped her turn and do all that she made up her mind to do. Her loved her belly because it kept their children safe for nine months, and because it meant she got to enjoy all the lovely foods in life. Again, he paid special mind to her stretch marks, the long, red and pink blemishes that she found to be so glaring, but that he praised endlessly for her health and for her body’s resilience to adjust and sacrifice to make life. He loved her arms because they helped her effortlessly take care of things and hold her family close. He loved her hands because they were warm and dainty, and because they were expertly skilled in so many fine activities. She moaned hungrily when he praised her chest, and even allowed herself to put her hands over his and ask softly for more. She allowed herself to release all of her doubts as he kissed her skin, mumbling praise and moaning out pleasure as they both engaged in intimacy that finally allowed release to the tension and pressure that lives plagued with tragedy built up. They were certain, a solid and real force full of passion and love despite all of the changes that their lives had brought. Eliza was eternally grateful to be reminded of this now.

“My angel,” he crooned softly once they were cuddling in the aftermath of their lovemaking. “May I finish my validations?”

“You still want to?” She panted softly, humming in pleasure despite herself.

He did, and he did. He loved her shoulders because they carried weights- both physical and emotional- greater than most could even imagine. Her loved her hair because it was long and beautiful, and how it showed her graceful aging. He loved her neck because he could kiss it and feel her heartbeat when he did. He loved her chin because it helped her intake delicious things, her mouth because her lips were soft and they were something he kissed often, her nose because it was more attractive than anyone’s else’s. He loved her eyes because he could see into them endlessly, see how the golden flecks sparkled and danced in the light, and see her inner beauty with crystal clarity. He loved her forehead for how it wrinkled when she scrunched her nose, and because it was a prime kissing location as well. He loved her head because it was level, and he needed it desperately to counter his’s heatedness.

“And I love you,” Eliza whispered blissfully, finally tucking into his embrace and relaxing fully against her life partner. “I love you…And I love me when I am with you.”

“As I do so intimately to you, my Betsey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if so compels you!


	11. A Snowball War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eleven: Snowball Fight! (Ft. Historic Hamliza)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-21-19 (It's v late, I apologize but I am trying my best here :P)
> 
> For something that is so behind-schedule in production and was something I've had exactly zero idea on how to write it originally, I am really, really proud of how this turned out! ♥

Alexander only had himself to blame for his cockiness, and yet he was not the type to admit it, even if it meant a complete downfall as opposed to a partial. He was crouched behind a shrub now, face screwed up in concentration as he formed another pile of snowballs while frequently checking all sides for the enemy. Fatigue was beginning to set in his muscles and cloud his judgement, but if this was the end, he was determined not to go out in complete defeat. He was going to ambush those little brats if it was the last thing he did!

The sound of snow crutching beneath heavy winter boots immediately sent his head snapping around, his heartrate picking up painfully in his chest as he craned to see where his opponent was. He’d pridefully underestimated the ability of Phillip Schuyler’s children to win against a war hero like himself in an all-ought snowball war. In that same breath, they’d miscalculated their ability to work together against himself and his equally acclaimed friends, and he had been paying for it very dearly for the majority of this afternoon. Of course, Lafayette, Mulligan and Mifflin hadn’t done shabbily at all; their raiding attacks and old strategized strikes based on teamwork were the tactics of legends. It was nevertheless clear that the Schuylers were winning, and it would take a mighty move of defense to give their team an honest chance at a final victory.

The thought had repeatedly occurred to him that perhaps they’d be doing better if their dear Laurens was still around to play these juvenile games, and he swallowed it thickly against his burning, dry throat while scoping the landscape. Whoever his enemy was had stopped making audible noise and was undoubtedly hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Alexander grabbed two of his biggest snowballs and slowly lifted his head fully from behind his cover, nose and fingers already twitching numbly in anticipation. He’d barely had another look around before a pair of arms wrapped around him and he shrieked, stuffing both snowballs down his assailant’s back and being rewarded with a feminine shriek.

The satisfaction did not last long. Instead of Angelica or Peggy now sitting back in the show and giving him an earful for such a frigid move, there was his poor wife, her face positively pink as she frantically tried to shake the powdered concentration from the upper part of her dress while vehemently scolding him for involving her. It was certainly as not as though she didn’t want to be playing with them all, but her pregnancy had left her unable to engage in high-energy, full-body activities like play-wars in the snow. His love had instead been inside with their children, seemingly content to be making a big meal for all of them along with her beloved mother and Aunt Gertrude, but now she was here and extremely perturbed and undoubtedly freezing.

“Betsey!” He cried as he came to her side, his hands wrapping round her securely as he helped her to stand and brush herself off. “Are you alright?! Are you hurt??”

“I am quite alright, but I do not imagine I have to say that I was better before you assaulted me with snow!” Eliza huffed unhappily before taking two big handfuls of the stuff and nailing him squarely in the chest and stomach. “See?? How do you like that, you fiend!”

“Betsey, Betsey!” He whined, thinking better of their noise and quickly ducking back down with her in his lap. “I’m sorry! I thought you were one of your siblings, it was an honest mistake! Please, my dear, forgive me, but I am trying desperately to make my final stand against those heathens and will be happy to make it up to you as soon as I find victory over them!”

“…Then why are you hiding here?”

Her question caught him completely by surprise and he quickly turned her to face him. “Pardon?”

“My brothers and sisters are exceptional at snowball fights, but they are missing one of their most key components on this eve,” she explained with a playful twinkle in her eyes to match the smirk slowly creeping across her face. “They are hopeless at checking trees for their rivals, as that was always my specialty. If you were to strike aerially, then…”

“Then they would not have a prayer,” he finished with a grin spreading across his own face. “Betsey, that is brilliant! Thank you, thank you-!”

As he began to quickly form more ammunition and hurriedly place it in his rucksack, he paused in afterthought. “Pardon me, my dear…But why on Earth are you helping my team? If you came out here to help us finalize our little competition-”

“I did not come out here for this! I will have you know that I had well and good intentions to obey Mama’s orders!” His poor darling huffed, but her delight was hardly concealed, and that only endeared him further. “I came here to inform you that we have prepared at least a trough-load of fresh hot chocolate with syrup and marshmallows! You all have been playing for several hours and need to warm yourselves before settling in for a big meal, after all.”

“I see…” At this Alexander could not deny his own blush beneath the chapped redness of his being so entirely chilled to the bone. “Might I inquire, then, why are you not on the side of your birth family?”

“Do you think that you are the only one who has been an opponent of my siblings?” Eliza chuckled, moving to the side now to reveal a huge pyramid of neat snowballs just behind her that she’d clearly just made as though it were nothing. “Even against my sisters have I been pit! I did not have the ability to get them back for the trick they led me into this past winter, but now~”

“What trick could they have possibly subjected _my_ wickedly brilliant wife to?”

“They baited me with little Cornelia playing atop the frozen lake, and once I was nearly to her, I was ambushed soundly,” she replied huffily with a sniff.

His mouth fell open in surprise, and though the imagery of his occasionally mischievous and playful love gliding along the ice top while laughing and protesting at her rambunctious brothers and sisters was endearing, it gave him a solid motive for helping her get her payback. Alexander helped her to her feet and was sure to guard her belly as the two of them hurried toward the nearest tree, their glove-clad hands in each other’s as they quickly snickered and got ready for their final stand.

Hot cocoa would just have to wait a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you! ♥


	12. Holiday Selections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twelve: ROLE SWAP! This one-shot can fit canonically into the entire Role Reversal AU I have featured in my story 'A Mind at Work', and I am beyond thrilled to have finally written this idea out to share with you all. I love my Reversed! Hamliza so much ♥♥♥

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally published: 12-21-19
> 
> Role swap role swap role swap! ♥ 
> 
> (Also, it would mean the absolute world to me if you all checked out 'A Mind at Work', but you do not have to have read that in advance to understand this one-shot!)

“There’s nothing that Hamiltons love more, than going downtown and slumming it with the poor!” Phillip declared from the front of the wagon, the teenager laughing when his little sister giggled and put his top hat on her head. “We pull up in our carriages and walk, looking at the city as we watch people talk!”

“Take the Morrisons, they say, ‘Man, they’re loaded!’ Uh-oh, but little do they know that their eldest, Phillip, Angelica, Frances, bring themselves into the city to see where all the show is~” Angelica chimed in, her own excitement evident as she expertly guided their steeds into the appropriate resting area.

“Children, what on Earth are you shouting about?” Alexander asked patiently as he set up their rental carriage beside their eldest three children, whom he’d allowed to take their owned carriage in order to avoid riding with all of their youngest siblings. “I know I did not just hear you refer to the townsfolk as ‘poor’, correct?”

As for herself, Eliza was just glad to see the three of them so thrilled. The past couple of months had been extremely hard on the entire family beneath the weight of her recent political office and all of the life changes brought by the families’ ever-growing and numerous relationships. The holidays were an excellent time to both be merry and be too occupied by preparations and celebrations that little else mattered during them, and the distractions and obligations were a welcome change of pace, even for a political powerhouse and treasury secretary like herself.

“We’re just excited, Papa!” Phillip chirped while hopping to the ground. “We are here on our own violation to do our shopping! What is there not to be eager about?!”

“I am glad you are so excited, but do be courteous to others, son,” Alexander advised while gently patting their second-eldest’s shoulder. “This is a very festive time of year, yes, but you do not want to be rude.”

“Yes sir,” Phillip replied dutifully, but that seemed to be forgotten the second that Fanny practically tackled him from behind and the two stumbled into each other in laughter.

“Come now, dear, Congress can wait,” Alexander said easily to her nevertheless as the trio readied to do their own shopping and she continued trying to get next week’s report finalized. “You promised that you would spend this time with your family, not your work.”

“Yes, I suppose you are right,” she conceded with a sigh not unlike their Pip’s. “May I please finish my point at the very least? I will put my writings straight away and be fully dedicated to you after!”

“Do you promise?” Alexander asked of her with a raised eyebrow, his arms crossed and making her positively shiver beneath his intent expression.

“I promise,” she said obediently.

She was widely considered to be a lot of things; haughty, overly privileged, a rascal, out-of-line, audacious, rude, crass, but she was certainly a lady of her word in addition. She fanned her papers out to dry the ink and tucked them away as soon as they were ready before lifting their youngest boy- little John, named for her late sister’s beloved husband- down to her husband and joining them.

“Okay, you three,” she instructed to their eldest children before they had a chance to run off. “You each have your money, and you have each other. Spend wisely and do not allow yourselves to be swindled or haggled for anything less than the most exceptional. You remember all that I taught you in regard to business transactions and festivity price inflation, yes?”

“Yes Mama!” The trio chorused. For all of their sakes, she simply had to bet that they were sincere in their words.

“Alright. Do not go too far from each other and be safe,” Eliza reminded strictly before giving them a small but warm smile. “Have fun, my dearest girls, my dearest boy.”

“BYE MAMA BYE PAPA!”

With that they’d gone, leaving their mother to chuckle and shake her head along with her husband while they gathered up their younger sons for their own holiday purchases.

“Why are they allowed to go on their own?” Alex Jr. whined petulantly as Alexander took his hand as per usual. “I want to go with them! I have been alive for seven whole years now; I am a grown boy!”

“You are a _growing_ boy,” her partner corrected easily. “You will be able to join your elder siblings soon enough. In the meantime, why don’t you try to think about all of the things you can only do when you’re young?”

“Like what?” The boy fussed, but his eyes were intently trained up on his father and his lower lip was no longer wobbling; Eliza could not help but marvel at her husband’s natural skill with their little ones.

“Like…Being able to fit in the closet beneath the stairs and be comfortable?” Alexander suggested as they made their way down the street. “Or being able to go to school and impress all of your peers with the things you know from your own research.”

“…Yeah!” Alex Jr. chirped after a few moments of consideration, and Eliza sighed softly in relief before linking her free arm with Alexander’s and leaning her head to his shoulder in complete gratitude.

It was a far cry from reality to imply that she did not adore children, particularly their own irreplaceable, unbelievably intelligent and spectacular babies. She did not seem to have the maternal instinct that so many did, however, whereas everything seemed to come perfectly naturally to the love of her life. She supposed she had always been more work-orientated; that tended to come with living beneath the heads of her family that felt more like a precarious and ancient card-built tower than of people where openness and nurturing were grown. Even if she did not care to admit it, she often wished she had been born with parents who could have given her much more than they did, or at least that she’d come from her own dismal beginnings back in London with self-taught people skills like her Alexander had from his tragic origins in Nevis.

“Betsey,” Alexander said in a tone that implied he’d said her name more once despite how she had heard him only now.

“Pardon?!” She squeaked, flustered to be brought out of her head so rapidly. “I apologize, I-”

“There is no need,” he assured with a gentle smile. “I was recommending that we begin in Perring’s market stalls and work our way down the strip before looping back the opposite way via the more scenic route.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” she agreed while immediately reciprocating his easy demeanor. “Thank you, I…I am still unwinding myself from my usual obligations.”

“You are alright, my darling!” Alexander insisted before kissing her free hand gently. “I am simply glad to be with you today. Do try not to overthink this; you do not have to.”

“I will do my best.”

He was right, as she found to usually be the case with her much more practical and domestic spouse. As the two of them worked together to get all that they needed and wanted to for their loved ones as well as keep their boys content and with them, she slowly relaxed until she was not thinking of her job or what still had to be done in her offices at all. As a matter of fact, she realized with a start that she hadn’t even stewed over her political rivals and enemies for several hours, but that epiphany only occurred because she spotted one Theodosia Burr doing her own shopping across the way.

“Betsey…” Alexander prompted softly, his voice a careful warning tinted with the fatigue that he usually had in regard to her counterparts.

“I did not say a thing!” Eliza replied with a bit of defensiveness, even if his warning wasn’t unfounded and Theodosia’s presence did bother her a bit. “She is simply doing her holiday shopping as we are. That has nothing to do with politics and beliefs, does it?”

“It does not, but that has not stopped you in the past,” he said with a frown that quickly gave way to fond smile and head shake. “Oh, go on, but do not be long! We are not yet done, and the children are growing restless.”

She could not help but grin and steal a prolonged kiss from him, a notion that made them both giggle as they pulled away with some reluctance. “You are the best of any adult who has ever graced the world, my love. I will be brief!”

As she made her way across the streets in order to get a better look at her opponent’s activity, making sure to blend in with the crowd as much as possible to avoid being obvious, she pondered what she intended to do next. She did not truly have any interest in quarreling with Burr- not today, at least- so what did it even matter what the other woman was doing on one of their off days? She’d nearly made up her mind to simply return to her own family and be done with it when she saw _it_.

It was the most gorgeous cravat pin she had ever seen; she was immediately certain of it. It was sitting up neatly amongst at least half a dozen others, all of them facing toward the crowds from behind a windowpane in a aged store that seemed to double as a house. It was made from gold, which was obvious even from her relative distance, but that was only a bonus to the rest. The outer edges were delicately stained with flecks of golden glass, and the circular embellishment directly in the center was the most spectacular shade of deep blue that she had ever laid eyes upon. Beneath this adornment, she could see a matching little pouch, one that could hold a few small items and still be tucked beneath a gentleman’s coat. It was obvious that Alexander simply had to have it and she had to be the one to give it to him, and as she marched purposefully toward the store that would provide this incredible ornament, she thought of the perfect opportunity to give it to him.

Later that evening, the two of them went back to the city to see a romantic drama, a fantastic play that Alexander had insisted he’d heard vehement praises of for the past two weeks. As it turned out, her husband’s friends recommended damn good productions, and the two of them came away with teary eyes and deeply touched hearts. Eliza could not help but think that this whole day had been brought about by faith as they walked hand-in-hand back toward their carriage, their hands swinging between each other slowly as they discussed every plot twist and unique song they’d heard throughout the course of the play. There came a time when they were nearly but not quite to their horses, and the moonlight reflected just right from where it kept peaking out from behind slowly rolling clouds, and Alexander’s brilliant eyes shone all the brighter and she could hardly keep herself from dropping the little gift she’d been occasionally checking on with a touch of her hand throughout their entire date.

“Alexander…” Eliza said softly, her own eyes welling as she brought out the cloth she’d wrapped his present in. “How lucky I am to be alive right now, with you and without obligation to all that so often plagues us both. I know that I am regularly a difficult wife, and that I get myself into too many situations and talk entirely too much and keep you alert on your post, but…I am truly grateful for all that you do for me, my love. I wanted to give you this as a sign of my never-ending appreciation, even before the usual holiday, for that is how significant and grand you are to me. In short…thank you, and I hope you enjoy it even a fraction of the delight I get daily from being your wife.”

She had barely revealed the charm before he captured her into a kiss, one so passionate and lengthy and warm that she lost herself completely within his arms and affection. This man, this man who she had the privilege of marrying, was hers. No amount of politics or change could bring about seizing him from her heart, nor could a thing move her from his. She closed her eyes and enjoyed simply kissing him, making him feel good and whole as he did for her. In moments like this, she could only be endlessly grateful for her luck rather than overanalytical and unforgiving to all of the pains of life, success, and loss.

“It is perfect,” Alexander murmured as they finally took some time to catch their breath and for her to pin his new cravat up while tucking away the one he’d been wearing previously. “And thank _you_ , my Hamilton. How lucky we are to be alive right now in the greatest city in the world.”

“In the greatest love story in the world,” Eliza affirmed with a smile before enveloping herself back against him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	13. Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Content Advisory: Grief, loss that is still impactful. Please use discretion for this drabble, my loves. 
> 
> Day Thirteen: Autumn Days

Eliza braced herself beneath her husband’s arm in the event that she may have to support his weight more fully. Nearby, little Phillip and Angelica played quietly with their dolls, neither of them daring to disturb their parents in a place that neither of them were quite old enough to understand, but certainly understood the somberness of. Alexander’s face was scarlet, fresh with tears that had been silently falling on and off for the past few hours. She squeezed his hand quietly, her head finding its place in the crook of his neck, and though he did not relax he did softly kiss her temple and straighten himself ever-so slightly.

“It’s a brilliantly colorful day,” Alexander began, his voice thin like tissue paper and raspy from all of his grief. “It hardly seems right…that you aren’t here to enjoy it with us. Y…you remember our Betsey, of course. We’ve be-been married for nearly seven years n…now. I know that you would have insisted…on s-some big celebration for the ne-nearing decade. We were…considering taking the children on a v-vacation. I think you would have a-a-approved.”

Eliza carefully slipped away from him long enough to place the massive bouquet of flowers in the dirt, gingerly arranging them to frame the polished stone rather than obscure any of the writing. Once she stood back up, she was slightly surprised but not at all resistant to her husband wrapping his arms around her, his face burying in her shoulder and neck from behind as she leant back against him. For a few more minutes, they stood silently, his muffled tears the only sound against the crisp air. Nearby, little Phillip put down his toys and carefully made his way over to them, his big eyes sad and thoughtful.

“Papa…” The five-year-old murmured, his own voice hitching with the beginnings of tears. “Papa…”

“Shh, it’s alright, Pip,” Eliza soothed as she stroked a hand through their oldest boy’s hair. “Papa is here to remember someone very special to him. Do you remember when we talked about how sometimes, if you love somebody very much, and they are no longer alive, it can make you really, really sad?”

“Ye-yes, Mama…” Phillip had tears going down his face regardless, and her heart positively shattered for both of her poor boys, neither of which could begin to understand the magnitude of this loss despite the years that had passed since it. “Papa…Papa’s really sad…S-so I’m really sa-sad…”

“Oh, buddy,” Alexander said softly, lifting his face and scooping their firstborn into a big hug. “It’s going to be okay, baby. Papa is okay.”

“P-Papa sad…”

“Yes, Papa’s very sad,” Alexander conceded with a sorrowful smile. “But that’s okay too, you know? Your Mama is the one who taught me…that sadness isn’t a weakness. It’s _normal_ and _healthy_ to be sad about things that hurt us, like losing someone special. If…if we both need to cry, that’s okay, but I want you to know that your daddy is going to be just fine.”

The boy considered it for a few moments, then nodded while carefully wiping at his tears the same way that his father did. “O-okay Papa. We’re okay.”

Eliza could not help but smile to herself despite the tears now making their way down her face as she watched Alexander and Phillip comfort each other gently. Little Angelica could not bear to be alone for long, of course, and soon she was scooping up their toddler daughter and cuddling her while her husband slowly took a knee with their son carefully balanced on his leg.

“I…I would love for you to m-meet my son,” Alexander managed after swallowing thickly and silently, a notion that did not little for her aching chest but did wonders for the overall humanity of this visit. “P-Pip…this was my best friend in the entire universe. He and I grew up a lot together, and got into all kinds of trouble with each other, too…We served in the army together, and had too many adventures to ever be able to count.”

Eliza looked on fondly and with reverence for a few moments as her Hamilton talked of his dearest best friend, then joined his side fully when Angelica reached for her Papa as well. The four of them sat and listened to the stories that Alexander told, the children occasionally asking questions, her occasionally kissing his hand or cheek and squeezing her arm or hand to remind him that they were here, that she was with him past the ends of all of this pain. When it was clear that both of their little ones were growing anxious, she lovingly sent them to clean up their toys before helping her husband to his feet.

“You can stay here however long you need,” she reminded him gently. “I can take the children back to our friends, and then I’ll come back until you’re ready.”

“No…that’s okay. That is enough for now,” Alexander replied with a small smile to her. “Let’s go get some food and let the little ones run off some of this energy. I know a fantastic place just for them.”

“Are you certain?” She did not want to press him no matter what, but she was not going to let him slip on his self-care, not now and not about something that meant so much to both of them, him especially.

“I am.” Alexander pulled her into a full embrace, and she could not help but notice how their remaining tears mixed in the Earth as they held each other, then each kissed the headstone and said a prayer together. “…I will see you later, John. We love you.”

“We love you,” she echoed with just as much grief-laced sincerity, and then they gave each other the hints of a smile and headed back to their children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It again feels odd to say this at the end of such a poignant writing piece, but please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you.


	14. Something Borrowed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fourteen: Wedding! This one features two of my favorite couples in a modern setting~ ♥

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-22-19 (Will I ever catch up? The world may never know-)

“I’m just going to chop it all off!” Phillip exclaimed sharply, throwing his hands up while allowing his tangled curls to hang limply around his head. “Who needs hair anyway?! It’ll be a lot cooler anyway!”

“You did not spend all this time growing it out and upkeeping it to mean that,” Alexander interjected with a fond smile and eye roll to his poor son. “Come here, I will fix it up for you.”

“I am about to be a married man and I can’t even get my stupid hair to cooperate!” Phillip lamented while plopping down before his father in defeat. “My God, what have I convinced Theo to get herself into! What am _I_ getting into? I’m not ready at fucking all!”

“Yes, you are! You’re just frustrated!” Alexander chided while beginning to brush out his firstborn’s newly matted locks. “And you better watch your language in front of the rest of them, son.”

“Sorry Papa,” the younger man grumbled reluctantly.

“I know it’s impossible advice, but seriously, try and relax,” Alexander urged before planting a light kiss to his Pip’s head. “This is going to be one of the happiest days of your life. Don’t let your thoughts tangle up until they make you forget that.”

“…Were you this nervous when you married Mama?” His son asked quietly as Alexander finally freed up his curls to be styled.

“Oh, I was inconsolable,” the older man assured with a chuckle. “Your uncles practically had to hold me down so I wouldn’t do anything stupid in my anxiety.”

“Do something stupid because you were nervous? Like what??”

“Like calling off the wedding, like I threatened to do half a dozen times because I was sure my fiancé would come to her senses about me,” Alexander recounted while shaking his head and beginning to smooth his own hair gel through his firstborn’s. “Or harassing the photographer and videographer to make sure they were capturing everything, or obsessively pacing up and down the aisle because I was certain I would trip without more practice…not to mention they had to ensure I didn’t somehow stain or otherwise mess up my suit! I know for sure that I gave my loved ones a lot to deal with beforehand, so trust me, if it’s not normal it at least runs in the family.”

“Well, at least I am not that bad,” Phillip teased before sighing out deeply. “I just can’t help it, Pops. What if…what if I’m not everything she ever needed? What if all this preparation and anticipation was for nothing because she…she regrets it?”

“Son, that girl is absolutely smitten with you, and I know the feeling is beyond mutual,” Alexander said firmly while locking eyes with his poor child. “Tell yourself that however much you need until you at least somewhat believe it, and soon you’ll see it!”

As for himself, he could finally see what the ongoing issue was with his not-so-little boy’s fussy hair. Phillip had put far too much water into his curls, likely in attempt to get them to lay down, and had subsequently made it all that wilder and more untamed once it dried beneath all of the hair product also in it. Alexander quickly pulled out a few of his boy’s styling combs and brushed diligently and rapidly until the excess oil was pulled from Pip’s hair, then used the combs to arrange half of the lengthy locks into a neat bun on top of his head while arranging the other half behind his shoulders. When it was all set into place, the older man finished by pulling one of the many baby blue hair clips that his youngest daughter had _insisted_ his wear that day and pinning it behind the bulk of the bun to reinforce it staying in place while not making it easy to see.

“There. A good luck charm from Lizzie and I,” he said with a smile to his son. “I think you look fantastic, Pip.”

“Thank you!!” Phillip exclaimed as he admired himself in the big vanity mirror, lightly adjusting his suit and picking at imaginary imperfections before turning fully to his father. “Seriously, Pops, _thank you_. Where did you learn to do hair like that anyway?”

“Your mother, mostly,” Alexander admitted with a wink. “And your sisters.”

“Makes sense.” Phillip cast a final look to himself in the mirror before embracing his father tightly, his breath coming out shakily and softly as they held each other tight.

“You’re going to do great, my boy,” Alexander murmured reassuringly. “I am so incredibly proud of you, and I love you and your bride dearly.”

“Th-thanks Pops. We love you too.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the expansive church that the two lovebirds would soon be wed in, Eliza was certain that her future daughter-in-law would just now be finishing up her makeup or putting on her dress. The older woman made her way to her dressing area, knocking purposefully and exchanging pleasantries with the bridesmaids who ushered her inside. Theodosia Burr Jr. was, as she expected, perched up on a stool and allowing another bridesmaid to touch up her makeup, as though she were not already absolutely magnificent in her beauty. The younger woman opened one eye as Eliza walked closer to her, a nervous but sincere smile forming on her face as she reached out to take her hand.

“Hello, Mrs. Hamilton,” Theodosia greeted politely. “What can I help you with? I really don’t have much time before we start photos, but-”

“Oh no, please dear,” Eliza quickly assured with a smile. “I don’t need anything from you; please, relax. I just wanted to come in and offer you a little something if you’ll have it.”

“Something for me?” Theodosia’s eyes immediately filled with delight and curiosity, and the mother could not help but remark internally that she looked all the younger when she brightened like this.

“I wanted to offer you my brooch,” Eliza admitted, face pinkening at a gesture she was hoping that would be interpreted as one of absolute love rather than as disrespectful. “I was chatting with your bridesmaids and father, and I heard that you did not have ‘something borrowed’ or ‘something blue’ yet to complete the old saying. I know that your dearest mother saved her veil for your use- which might I add, is absolutely stunning- and I wanted to at least have you consider something from this mother if you’d like.”

Eliza quickly brought out the small box she’d always kept said brooch in and slipped the lid off, revealing her glittering silver ornament that had two flower-shaped, royal blue sapphire pieces on either side of the white sapphire circular center. A couple of the bridesmaids gasped, and the others let out tiny noises of seeming approval, and even before she met the girl’s eyes, the experienced mother could tell that Theodosia’s eyes were shiny with tears.

“I am terribly sorry if you take offense to what I’ve said-”

“Goodness, no!” Theodosia exclaimed at once, coming out of her seat quickly and throwing her arms around the older woman tightly. “I love it, Mrs. Hamilton, I truly do! Th-thank you, thank you s-so much!”

“Please don’t use your tears on me, sweetheart!” Eliza cooed soothingly as she embraced her almost-daughter-in-law tightly, naturally leaning up to kiss her on top of her head and lightly pat her eyes dry with a tissue from her bag. “You have only happy ones to shed today, I trust. It is my privilege to lend it to you.”

“I…I just… _thank you_ ,” the young bride insisted as she delicately clipped the pin in the center of her laced neckline. “This is absolutely gorgeous, I’m just…I’m just grateful and overwhelmed. It means a lot from you, especially because you and Mr. Hamilton have such an incredibly iconic relationship!”

“Goals,” one of the bridesmaids agreed, and Eliza could not help but blush and smile as the others chimed in with the same sentiment.

“That is very kind of you all to say; thank you,” the wed mother said with a soft smile to each of them. “But please remember that no marriage is perfect, even if it is ‘goals’. Alexander and I have had our fair share of arguments and hardships, and we have been through enough loss and hurt to last both of us multiple lifetimes. We are both flawed people. I just want you all to know that perfection is unobtainable and boring, and that it is where the _real_ perfection of a happy union is. I have no doubts in my mind that your marriage will be happy, complicated, beautiful, messy, and more worth it than any words can truly surmount. I certainly know that we are all blessed to be part of your family, sweet girl.”

All of them were a bit teary now, and Eliza relished as the young bride cuddled fully into her, her laughter soft despite the tears that came with having so many raw feelings. “I…I wish I could fully express how much all of that means to me. But even if I can’t…I need you to know that that’s exactly what I needed to hear. There’s so much pressure for everything to be flawless, and it’s just a _lot_ , you know?”

“I understand completely.”

“Exactly! …You know, I miss Mama every single day, and I would give just about anything to have her here with me today, but I know now for sure that she’s looking down on me,” Theodosia announced with another big smile despite the tears gliding across her (thankfully) waterproof makeup. “God sent me my Pip…and Mama sent me you to look a-after me, and to be a mother when I need you. Ri-right?”

“Oh, sweetheart!” Now Eliza was truly crying and embracing her with passionate conviction. “Of course, baby girl, of course!”

It took several more minutes of fixing up of their outfits and about a thousand more hugs and reassurances, but Theodosia was with soon the photographer for the ‘real’ beginning of her and Phillip’s wedding. Eliza took the time after to go locate her husband, whom she found as per usual to be typing away on his phone while seeming to hide between the mostly empty chairs of the ceremony site.

“Did you help Pip out?” She asked as she sat by his side, causing him to adorably jump in surprise and quickly put his device away.

“Of course, dear,” he assured before kissing her sweetly in greeting. “And did you give Theo your pretty ornament-accessory-thing?”

“My brooch, yes,” she corrected gently before looking up to the fabulously decorated alter. “Can you believe that our little boy is getting married in a little more than an hour? It seems like just yesterday that we were holding our tiny newborn, and now here he is, all ready to begin his own life with his most cherished bride.”

“It seems like just yesterday that I got to say, ‘I do’ to my most cherished lady,” Alexander mused with a warm smile, his eyes meeting hers warmly before he wrapped his arms around her fully. “Sometimes it still hardly seems real that I got to make you mine, Betsey.”

“Oh, Alexander, I feel quite the same!” She exclaimed while blinking back more delighted tears, their lips finding each other’s at once as she rubbed her hands over his and listened to the faint sound of the practicing pianist nearby. “You will help me teach these children how to dance at the reception, yes?”

“Only if you intend to help me go photobomb some of their pre-wedding shots, my dear bride.”

Giggling mischievously as she casually slipped his phone into her purse and stood up with him, she gave him a wink and nod before extending her hand to him the same way she’d done for the past twenty-two years. “Of course I do, my dear groom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	15. Decorative Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen: Braids, with historic Hamliza and me wondering how many times I have said that word in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-22-19 (And I'm doing my best)

Alexander, for the first time in a very long time, was actually the calmest member of the family while everyone else was panicking. He sat in the living room, patiently waiting for his eventual instructions, as his children intermediately ran past and his wife called out instructions or warnings somewhere upstairs. He did not waste any time rising to her feet when she finally ran down, her lengthy hair still tangled and mused from the night before and dress only halfway done up as she looked to him with wide eyes with the beginnings of tears in them.

“Can you get your daughters and James ready??” Eliza asked in a pleading voice. “Johnny still needs to be nursed, and Pip won’t let me help him get his things on because he _insists_ he can do it , I don’t even _know_ where Frances is, and Alex still needs assistance-”

“I will take care of Angie, Fanny and Jaime,” Alexander interjected gently as he strode to her, his hands smoothing down her tangled locks before he gave her a gentle kiss. “You just worry yourself with your own dressing and Johnny. I am sure Pip will do a fine job, and we can address anything he does not properly with swiftness. We are going to be alright.”

“I just don’t want to be late,” Eliza said while releasing a shaky sigh. “This is such a big day for them! I cannot let them down, not today of all days…”

“We will not let them down,” he assured with a small smile. “We always prepare to be punctual for being punctual. We will do just fine and we will get there before the festivities begin. If you cannot trust yourself at this time, trust me.”

“…I will attempt to,” she said with a ghost of a smile, which he took already as being a major improvement.

“Excellent!” With that, he made his own way up the stairs and poked his head into his daughter’s room, smiling when he saw her sitting in front of her large looking glass and clearly attempting to wrangle her hairbrush out of her unruly locks. “What has happened, my little turtle dove?”

“Papa!” The eight-year-old immediately wailed once they made eye contact. “It won’t do correctly! I have had it!!”

“Now, now, baby girl, do settle down,” Alexander soothed as he knelt behind her to survey the damage. “It will be alright, yes? Things will not always be this frustrating and stressful. Why, it is in the very nature of the world!”

“H-how is that?” Angelica sulked, adorable as always to her doting father, even in her sulking.

“Think about when you are balancing a weight,” he explained while carefully freeing her hair tool from her ringlets. “If you want it to be even, you have to evenly distribute the weight, right?”

“Uh huh…”

“So even though life is not fair, it does have equal parts good and bad. If there is a lot of bad, there will eventually be good to balance it back out. Does that make sense?”

The girl considered it for a moment, then nodded decisively. “Yes Papa.”

“There is my girl,” he praised with a smile, finally freeing the brush and being able to brush out her lengthy locks. “Now, my little princess, how shall I arrange this hair of yours? I do not have the time or skill to do anything elaborate, but I will do my best.”

“Can I have braids like Sophia Dunbar?!” Angelica asked excitedly after a few restless moments of consideration.

“Certainly, angel!” Alexander had not the faintest idea of who Sophia Dunbar was, nor how she wore braids, but he would indeed try his damndest to please his girl.

He quickly and efficiently brushed out her previously matted hair, pausing only to retrieve some formula he’d recently begun to use to more easily detangle in tackling his own mane. Once it was pliant, he parted each side and smoothed the ringlets into three equal portions before his muscle memory took over and he made a neat, sturdy French braid that rested in front of her right shoulder.

“How is that, sweetheart?” He asked once the first side was finished.

Angelica was already beaming from ear to ear, her small hand delicately tracing the weave as she looked up to her father with absolute delight. “IT’S PERFECT! Thank you, Papa, oh thank you thank you thank you!!”

“Hold steady, little one, I am not finished!” Alexander laughed, securing the girl into his lap and beginning to craft the second braid.

He had just finished up his older daughter’s hair when his adopted girl poked her head into the room, her own hair clumsily pulled into a bun and her nice gown completely sodden with some kind of liquid. Her eyes were freshly reddened and teary as well, so he wasted no time in scooping her into his arms and deciding to worry about changing his own vest if need be. Fanny wrapped her arms around his neck and hiccupped into him, and he comfortingly rubbed her back while settling back down to sit and rock her slowly.

“What’s happened, dear girl?” He asked gently. “Why are you damp?”

“I-I spilled…I sp-spilled my usual milk on my dress!” Fanny whimpered. “A-and I look so bad n-now! I look quite bad and I-I’m sorry!”

“Oh, my dear honeydew!” Alexander exclaimed while beginning to kiss away her tears and stroke away her flyaway hairs. “You could not look badly if you tried to! Your spilling your milk is simply an accident, and one that can be easily dealt with. There is no need to be so terribly upset about it, sweet little lamb.”

“I…I am not in trouble?” The seven-year-old asked anxiously, positively breaking his heart and seeming to alarm even her sister.

“That would be a silly thing to be in trouble for!” Angelica said while pulling the slightly younger into a hug. “Do not worry so much, silly!”

“Pr-promise?”

“Promise,” Alexander assured before planting a ginger kiss on her forehead. “Now, let us go and find a new set of skirts for you in your closet. Is your shift stained as well?”

“N-no Papa,” the girl sniffled, still looking positively miserable but a little less distressed.

The three of them moved together to pick out a new bottom half of Fanny’s dress, the girls deciding on a pretty, festive orange to compliment her pale green top. Once he’d helped her pin the fabrics up and smooth them out properly, Angelica seemed to get an idea and began to help her sister undo her existing hairdo.

“Papa can do braids for you, too!” The eight-year-old chirped. “Right, Papa??”

Stealing a glance at the time, then to his adoptive daughter, whose face had finally lit up with some hope, Alexander gave them both a kind smile and steered them back toward the looking glass. “Of course I can.”

Once both of his girls were beaming and admiring their hairstyles, he retrieved his six-year-old Alex Jr. and began to straighten up his outfit while quickly praising him for getting on the basic garments on correctly and in order. He was going to simply tie the boy’s hair into a ponytail with a decorative ribbon to match his vest, but then his daughters were there and bragging about their braids, and suddenly he found himself quickly tying a half braid to his son’s hair and being dragged along to do a variation of the same for Phillip as well.

By the time he was able to deliver the children to the awaiting carriage and go to retrieve his wife and infant, all of them had braids in some variations; Phillip’s in a partial dip behind his head, Alexander’s a quick one encompassing all of his mane. Eliza’s eyes widened with surprise and humor as she looked at him, her own hair being secured in a simple long ponytail off to the side of her while she held a sleeping John.

“What on Earth happened to your hair?” She asked in a voice wavering with laughter.

“I gave the children all the braids they asked for,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone to contrast his slightly bashful grin. “I assure you that theirs all look far, far superior to the one they made me do for myself.”

“Thank Heavens,” she teased. “Here, let me fix that for you.”

“Love, the carriage is outside-”

“The carriage can wait a minute more!” Eliza said as a surprise to her husband as she ushered him to sitting. “Here, hold Johnny, and I will fix you up in no time at all.”

Alexander could not help but lightly close his eyes as she ran her hands through his hair, her fingernails brushing through his curls comfortingly as her hands glided at a steady pace. He hardly had time to register that his locks were now secured in not one, but _three_ separate braids, but he did not have time to protest before she was wrapping them around each other until he had one very thick, sturdy weaving of his hair that felt intricate and cooling beneath the hat she placed over his head.

“There,” she announced fondly. “Now we are ready.”

“Oh, no!” Alexander quickly interjected while swapping places and settling John into her lap. “If we are all going with decorative braids, we are _all_ going with decorative braids!”

“Do I trust you with the notion?” She wondered in a playful tone.

“You most certainly do not, but you will have to!” He teased in return before sliding her hair band free and using it to tie off the eloquent fishtail weaving he made with her lengthy hair. “Ta-da!”

“And where on Earth did you learn to style like that?” Eliza’s eyes sparkled as she admired herself, then admired her husband with so much love that his heart fluttered wildly in response.

“…My mother,” Alexander admitted with a sad smile. “I…I will tell you more about it later, alright? Everyone is waiting now.”

“Of course, my Hamilton,” she replied with a genuine, kind smile before sliding her arm over his and beginning to lead him down to those they both loved as much as each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	16. Sweets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Sixteen: In the City with Historical Hamliza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-22-19 
> 
> This is an exceptionally short drabble because I really had no intent motivation or inspiration behind this prompt, but I still wanted to fill it because it is important to do as you intend! I hope you all find it as simple and sweet as I do nevertheless while we both anticipate longer, more-fleshed out ideas coming very, very soon!

Eliza and Alexander had been spending an afternoon getting to know the city of Philadelphia when she spotted the cutest little bakery she was sure she’d ever laid eyes upon. She gently released her hand from his as she walked over, her expression lighting up as she gazed upon the rows and rows neatly arranged sweets and edible arrangements mixed with complimentary cases and flowers.

“Would you like one, my treasured heart?” Alexander asked from behind her, his smile evident already in his voice.

“Here, do tell me how these tastes!” She replied playfully before gently stuffing a crisply baked croissant into his open mouth.

He paused to chew thoughtfully before nodding deftly. “Yes, that is good.”

“Hm…” She hummed, gently wiping away the crumbs from his lips and retrieving a basket to layer some of the goods inside. “Not too much of a reaction from Mister Talk More, Smile Less, I see?”

“It is certainly not bad, but I admit that it is not my favorite kind of sweet,” he conceded politely.

“How about this?” Eliza grinned before popping a Martha Wellington into his mouth.

This time, she was rewarded with a more sincere smile, and a response that it was delectable. She continued down the rows of the hand-baked goods, having him try one before adding one or more to their basket, until they were at last at the end and she put several apple tarts in instinctively.

“These _are_ your favorite, are they not?” She asked with a warm, victorious smile when she caught him shifting through the basket while she paid for all of the goods they’d sampled and were now buying.

“They are close,” he admitted, a blush gracing his cheeks as he met her gaze with a tart already in his palm. “Anything has the potential to be my favorite as long as you have prepared it, dear Betsey.”

Eliza blushed herself, especially as the woman tending to payment cooed softly and complimented their adorableness and took the pastry from his hand in order to place it in her own mouth and for them to share an extra-sweet kiss. “I see, dear Alexander, I see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos/share/subscribe/bookmark/gift a comment if it so compels you!


	17. The Changing of Their Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seventeen: Modern AU. Also, this chapter is extraordinarily longer than mu usual updates for this collection, oh my-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I supremely go overboard on this prompt despite having literally no ideas for it beforehand? Yes. Am I spectacularly behind due to it? Also yes. Do you I hope you'll all enjoy the fruits of my labor and that this overdue fill was worth the wait? Oh Lord, yes.

When she was awoken by the sound of rumbling eighteen wheelers on the first day of winter break, Elizabeth Schuyler knew that something significant was about to change in the neighborhood she’d lived in for all of her thirteen years.

“I heard that it was the Luddingtons’ cousins!” Her closest in age little sister, Peggy, exclaimed loudly from somewhere downstairs. “And that they’re super rich!”

“Everyone who lives here is super rich!” Her older sister, Angelica, replied just as fervently. “That’s why we live in a _gated_ community in one of the most prosperous cities in the country!”

“Well, that’s what I heard!” Peggy huffed.

Eliza quickly tossed off her thick blankets, shivering against the cold of the December morning as she made her way to the private bathroom that she shared with her Irish triplets to get ready. She kept her shower brief, using it to simply warm up her stiff muscles and rub away any remnants of heavy sleep before leaving the hot water on to keep the room pleasant as she changed into her daytime clothing. Her hygiene routine before one long-sleeved, royal blue, and fleece-clad dress, a pair of snowflake embroidered winter leggings, a pair of Uggs and Christmas-themed hairclips adorning her simple half-and-half hairstyle later, she quickly headed downstairs to see what all the excitement would reveal itself to be. Angelica and Peggy, along with all of her younger siblings and even their parents, were crowded around the bay window in the dining room that overlooked the rest of their neighborhood. Once she squeezed between her closest sisters, she was finally able to see the multitude of moving trucks surrounding the previously unoccupied house directly across from them, and all of the movers hard at work unloading their vehicles.

“I heard that this a foreign diplomat,” her Mama mused before taking a sip from her steaming mug. “Connected to one of our allies, no doubt, if they are to move here so unexpectedly.”

“Maybe they’re a Witness Protected Person!” Her younger brother, John, suggested eagerly.

“If they’re Witness Protection, we can’t know! That’s the whole point!” One of her other younger brothers, Phillip Jeremiah, snipped in return.

“Boys, behave yourself!” Her Papa said in a gentle but commanding voice. “Everyone, I am quite sure that this is a very normal family, and they’re moving in because it is easier on the body to do physical labor when it’s cold rather than when it’s hot. Perfectly understandable in my opinion.”

“Right.” Mama ushered them all away from the windowpane now, gently steering them toward the kitchen with effectiveness that Eliza imagined only she could have over such a large family. “All of you get a move on, there is nothing to see here! Have you all eaten? I will not have you running all over creation without everybody getting ready properly and eating a full meal!”

Eliza stole a glance back to the window before allowing herself to be led along to the proclaimed ‘most important meal of the day.’ Surely Mama understood that the second she was done, she’d be making her way over to get a closer look, and that is just what she did with Angelica and Peggy in tow once she had a stomach full of home-cooked food from their usual maids. The three sisters marched across the street and began to dodge the movers, each of them looking hard for anybody that wasn’t in a typical worker’s outfit. It was proving to be an ineffective method rather quickly; everyone in the surrounding area seemed to be dressed very casually and working hard to set up the inside and outside of the manor.

“Hey, look!” Peggy exclaimed while blatantly pointing to a small form crouched nearby a cluster of fruit bushes near the backyard. “There’s someone!”

“Margret, don’t be rude,” Angelica chided while pulling down their sister’s hand. “It isn’t polite to point, you know-”

Eliza did not remain by her older sibling’s side long enough to know what else she said. Instead, she was already before the small child huddled up so tightly, and she knelt down with a kind smile and an extended hand as said child shrunk a little further back.

“Hi there,” she greeted carefully. “My name is Eliza Schuyler. What’s your name?”

“L…Li-Li-Lincoln,” the boy said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Ni…nice to m-meet you, Eliza…”

“It’s very nice to meet you to,” she said with a smile, settling down in the grass and gently shaking his hand once he offered it. “Do you live in this house, Lincoln?”

“D-do now.” The boy cast a look up the building, which Eliza noticed must look like a skyscraper to the poor kid at this angle. “M-Mama and Papa said we gotta live here cause Papa got a big important job in New York. Th-they’re making me, and my sister, and m-my brothers start a whole new school soon! W-we wanna go home!”

Lincoln was fully crying by now, and Eliza hardly even questioned her instincts before pulling him into a tight hug and beginning to soothe him to the best of her ability. “Oh, buddy…Shh, shh, it’s okay…it’s okay, baby. Hey, you know what? I bet there are lots of cool things here! I’ve lived here my whole life, and I find new things to do and learn every day! And there are lots of really cool, really interesting people here, and this neighborhood? You’re going to love it here, and you know why?”

“Wh-why?”

“Because there are lots of kids here!” She encouraged with a smile. “And lots of them are really nice, and a lot of them are about your age! As a matter of fact, I have little brothers who would _love_ to have someone like you to play with. Does that sound fun?”

Lincoln was now looking at her with wide eyes with small tears still pooled in them, but he slowly nodded and wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. “Wh-where are your brothers? I-I want to make friends…”

“Of course, buddy; they’re right over at my house,” Eliza said with a patient smile before pointing to her own home. “See? Can you take me to your Mama and Papa so I can make sure it’s okay for you to come play?”

That seemed to do the trick. The boy quickly hopped to his feet and dragged her inside, her sisters following behind at once. His parents turned out to be Mister and Mrs. Washington, a slightly older couple with kind smiles and an evident love for children as well as this state. They’d been in the thick of the manual work themselves and were happy to allow Lincoln over once Mrs. Washington called up the girls’ own mother and verified permissioned on the Schuylers’ end, and Mrs. Schuyler even invited the Washingtons’ over for dinner that night, completely exciting the Irish triplets and Lincoln alike.

“Why don’t you go get Alexander and Monroe, dearest?” Mrs. Washington asked Lincoln once the two women got off the phone with each other. “I’m sure they’d like to go play as well, and then we won’t have to worry about you all being bored. Sound good, honey bon?”

“Yes Mama!” The boy chirped, running up the nearby grand staircase and making his mother chuckle before she turned back to Eliza.

“Thank you for such a kind offer to help,” the older woman said with a smile that made Eliza feel all that much warmer and giddier inside. “You and your family are very generous and kind. It’s people like you that make me and my husband certain that we chose the right neighborhood to live in; you know that?”

Immediately, the thirteen-year-old blushed and thanked her new neighbor for her incredibly sweet words, but all other conversation escaped her as she turned to see the owners of the feet now pounding down the stairs. Lincoln was back with a girl who looked around Peggy’s age in tow, and behind both of them was a boy who looked to be about her age. His hair was longer than his sibling’s and a bright red, all of it falling over itself in its curls as it was pinned loosely to the top of his head. His eyes were the most spectacular and breathtaking shade of blue she’d ever seen- they looked as though they were drawn from an expensive painting- and he had a troubling frown etched across his pale face that immediately made sympathy and concern bubble in her chest. Whoever this boy was, he was even more gorgeous than his parents, and he was clearly about as happy about this arrangement as his little brother had been before she’d spoken to him. Perhaps she could make it better for this boy/fellow teen, too.

“Eliza Schuyler,” she announced as the trio reached her and their mother. “It’s my pleasure to meet you all.”

“Eliza is the one with the brothers!” Lincoln exclaimed to his sister- Monroe, Eliza presumed- who was practically glowing like her slightly younger sibling.

“Do you have any sisters??” Monroe asked excitedly. “My name is Monroe and I have lots of cool toys and makeup and stuff to play with! I’ll make a really cool best friend, I promise!”

“As a matter of a fact, I do!” Eliza said with a small, delighted laugh. “Their names are Angelica and Peggy, and I think you and Peggy might actually be the same age~ I do wonder they’ve gone off to, they were just here-”

“Wow, you really have it all, don’t you?” The older boy mumbled not-so-subtly beneath his breath, earning a small noise of surprise from Eliza and scolding look from Mrs. Washington.

“Alexander, this girl and her family have been more than munificent with us,” Mrs. Washington said in a strong, stubborn voice that left no room for negotiation. “You behave yourself with them, or I will expect you here to help your father and I set up our furniture.”

A blush now adorning his cheeks that nearly matched his hair, Alexander let a small sigh from his nose and nodded once. “Yes, Mrs. Washington.”

Mrs. Washington? That was a peculiar way to refer to one’s mother, but Eliza _did_ suppose that the two of them looked quite different from each other. Surely he wasn’t hired help; he was much too young for that, and he was dressed much too casually to be one of the movers. All of her questions had to be swallowed once Lincoln and Monroe began excitedly tugging on her hands and her sisters returned with Mir. Washington, who’d evidently been giving them a small tour of the first floor and telling them a few stories from his war days. The group them quickly made their way back to the Schuyler manor and the younger children quickly got acquainted and began playing, including Peggy, so that left Angelica and herself to settle down at the table with the now steely, silent Alexander.

“So, Alexander…” Angelica began, eyebrow arched. “Your father said that you guys lived in Virginia before this. That’s pretty cool.”

“He’s not my father,” Alexander grunted at once, admittedly taking both of them off guard. “Look, Mr. and Mrs. Washington are great and all, but don’t get used to seeing me around here. I’ll be gone in a couple of months tops, and then you’ll keep living your privileged a- well, privileged lives and forget about this cast-out disaster orphan. There’s no point in troubling ourselves for formalities, don’t you think?”

“’Disaster orphan’?” Angelica repeated with a short, barked laugh. “My God! Surely you’re not that bad, even if you are just a ‘bucket of sunshine’…”

“Angelica!” Eliza squeaked. “He doesn’t have to be overly friendly if he doesn’t want to be, especially if that’s how he feels!”

Her older sister looked between the two of them for a long moment, then shook her head and got to her feet. “I see what’s happening here and I can’t say I’m thrilled, but Mister Disaster Orphan at least has a point. Have fun with all that, Bets.”

With that, the middle ‘Schuyler sister’ was left alone with Alexander, her face aflame with her mortification and stomach fluttering wildly at the prospect of being _alone_ with him. He was staring at the tablecloth, his mouth set in a more severe frown now and his brilliant eyes dancing with dark splashes of anger, and she would be lying if she claimed that he wasn’t intimidating her. Nevertheless, she sat up a bit straighter in her chair before standing up.

“Would you like something to drink, or a bite to eat?” She offered in an even tone that thankfully did not seem to reveal her rising nerves.

“Don’t you have hired help to get that for us?” He grunted crassly.

“Yes. And while I do not feel obligated to prove myself to someone who is not treating me with even basic respect, I am making a point regardless,” she replied coolly, so much so that the two of them made eye contact for the first time and her breath seemed to be stolen at once.

“…Some tea would be fantastic, and any kind of food would do,” Alexander finally said, his voice almost sheepish now. “I…I can help you if you want.”

“Only if you shan’t hold it against me,” Eliza mused, only half-teasing, but it made him smile more genuinely and that made her do the same.

“I like you, Eliza Schuyler,” he finally said before standing up.

“Fancy that,” she noted as she offered her bent arm his way. “Because I like you too, Alexander Wash- Well. If you’re not their son, what _is_ your given name?”

Alexander hesitated, then accepted her arm with another small smile. “Hamilton. And I suppose…it has been a pleasure to meet you after all.”

The two of them spent the rest of the day giving bits of information of about themselves to other while taking up preparing lunch, dinner, and several snacks from one of Mrs. Schuyler’s recipe boxes; it was Alexander’s idea, but she quite enjoyed it all the same. When they each returned to their respective rooms, Eliza found herself thinking of him seemingly endlessly, and she found she didn’t truly mind her sisters’ endless teasing concerning her ‘crush.’ Alexander was a mysterious boy- she’d never met anyone like him, not in all of her travels and all of her seemingly endless social mediums- and she was captivated to learn more about him while becoming determined to prove him wrong about his bias against ‘people like her.’

Her next opportunity to get past some of his fortified walls came unexpectedly, and only around three weeks after the initial meeting. While she was eating dinner with her family, she could not help but to overhear shouting in the street, all of the words from a voice that was undoubtedly Alexander’s crude and cruel while Mr. Washington’s responses were significantly quieter and stern. Unsurprisingly, her own family elected to ignore it for the entire half hour duration, either talking over it or simply eating in silence without acknowledging it. The entire affair ended with a loudly slammed door from across the street, and before she could ask herself if it made her seem overly obvious, Eliza wasted no time finishing her plate and excusing herself up to her room.

She had a smartphone, but she did not have his number and felt that calling their home was a bad idea, so that was out of the question for contacting him. She settled instead for grabbing one of the handheld whiteboards that her mother used to homeschool a couple of her younger siblings and a flashlight from within her bedside drawer, settling in front of her window and beginning to methodically flash her device in the direction of the upstairs room with the Caribbean flag decorating the curtains.

It took nearly fifteen minutes and she was nearly ready to safely determine his curtains were blackout and this was useless, but he finally slid the open and poked his head out into the cold night air. Immediately Eliza perked up, flashing her light more urgently before writing down her first message in large letters.

_Are you okay?_

Alexander’s face looked tired, even from where she was. He simply nodded once- an obvious lie- and gestured that he had nothing to write with before beginning to close his curtains. Eliza panicked at once, flashing her bulb until he gave her another look and she was able to hold up a message that had her phone number written on it. Once again, he shook his head, his cupped hand and frown revealing that he didn’t have a phone. In a last attempt to reach him, she quickly scrawled out her e-mail and pressed it to the glass along with her face, which she made sure conveyed her distress and pained hope for him.

At first, all it seemed he was responding with was sighing noticeably before closing his curtains, promptly breaking her heart and sending her into silent tears. Then, around twenty minutes later, her phone pinged with a new e-mail, and she was shocked (and admittedly overjoyed) to see that a ‘nonstophamildrop’ had messaged her.

 **NonStopHamilDrop:** _Eliza,_

_I’m sorry that I just shut you off, but George (Mr. Washington) was coming up the stairs and I didn’t want to answer him. Your concern for me is sweet- really, it is- but it’s unwarranted. George and I fight like that pretty often, and it’s my ticket out of this life that I didn’t ask for, so save your worries for someone who needs and deserves them. I’ll try to keep it more private going forward, at least so nobody calls the cops, and sorry if we disturbed you._

_-A.Ham._

She wasted no time replying, her fingers flying across her digital keyboard and frown deepening.

**TrueBlue:** _Alexander,_

_I forgive your cutting me off. It isn’t normal or healthy for you to talk to Mr. Washington like that, but it’s not very mature of him to fight back with anger and scolding that you already know, so neither of you are completely innocent nor are at fault. I know I can’t convince you to stay here, or to give this family- your family- a chance, but everyone deserves a friend. Is the idea of having someone on your side really that bad? And besides, I may not the Washingtons very well yet, but I do know that I don’t deserve to be shut out before you at least give me honest responses, even if they’re through our bedroom windows._

_-E. Schuy._

It took him nearly an hour to reply, but when he did, she smiled just a little and settled in properly for a night of talking to him.

**NonStopHamildrop:** _Eliza,_

_As much as I would like to protest and ignore you, I find myself unable to do so. You have valid points. I guess I can reward that with telling you what the fight was about, but please, don’t make a habit of making me talk when I’m not ready to. My stress levels are high enough tbh._

_It all started when George started talking about his expectations for the coming semester for all of his kids, including me…_

The e-mail went on for several paragraphs, but Eliza didn’t mind reading it and beginning to craft a response that she hoped rivaled the intelligence he showed in his. They talked until nearly midnight, and when she finally retired for the night, she was surprised the next morning to find his lengthiest response yet at around 4 AM. Of course, she felt it only appropriate to give him an earful for staying up so late and not getting enough sleep, but he’d truthfully made up for it by signing his e-mail ‘ever yours’.

Aside from their interactions during the school day, e-mailing and writing on boards almost immediately became their primary source of communication. If one of them was grounded (usually Alexander), they used the whiteboards she’d purchased specifically for them along with flashlights, and otherwise they filled each other’s inboxes with messages, all progressively more intimate and personal as the months turned into years.

Eliza slowly learned about how home island of Nevis, about his father abandoned him at the tender age of ten and his mother grew severely ill too quickly to save her when he was twelve. He’d been plucked from the life he’d known and tossed into the American foster care by way of a new governmental program who did that to hundreds of children from US territories, and though the bill was met with incredible resistance, he’d been bounced around fourteen different centers and foster homes before he landed with the Washingtons and was unable to continue petitioning to his home. In turn, she opened up layers of herself that she’d previously not acknowledged were hidden, talking about the woos and insecurities that could come from being one of the eldest in such a big family. She talked about the unspeakable tragedies her family endured in fertility, about the scandals that plagued them and the harrowing truths behind many of them, and about how she felt unworthy and unprepared to take on an empire-sized legacy that her parents had built for all of their children. The two of shared some of the most personal secrets (usually encrypted, thanks to him teaching her how to do it), and they shared their hopes, their dreams, and their plans for every future they could imagine, and after five years of this, they’d become practically inseparable and what their friends called a ‘power couple’ of almost three years.

It was the anniversary of the night that they’d first met that their relationship changed drastically yet again. Eliza had spent the first day of her winter break sleeping off the remnants of the severe cold she’d had throughout finals, and when she wasn’t under sleep medicine, she was practicing some much needed, quite extensive self-care. She’d just finished combing out her cleaned, air-dried hair when she got an e-mail from Alexander.

**NonStopHamilDrop:** _Betsey,_

_Meet me in my house in about thirty minutes, and please wear your new dress that I got you. My parents insist on having you over for dinner tonight and they still think we have to dress nicely every time we have company._

_Can we get an F in the chat (ever yours),_

_Alexander._

Eliza chuckled softly despite her body still somewhat protesting at doing anything requiring more than minimal effort. She tied her hair back into a braid and did her makeup, sliding into the thick, red winter dress with a deep green cape that fastened over her shoulders. Once she’d called to Angelica and Peggy (who were babysitting their siblings) where she was headed, she hurried over to the Washington manor and was quickly let in by Mrs. Washington, who seemed even more chipper than usual and kissed her cheeks despite her warnings that she was still recovering a little from being under the weather.

The area in front of the grand staircase was brightly decorated with Christmas decorations; perhaps even more than usual, Eliza noted to herself with a smile. She’d just stepped up on the first stair, fully intending to go to Alexander’s room as per usual, when the lights went out and she gasped, freezing in place instinctually and looking around. She did not have to wait long for an answer; a spotlight, one much too big to simply be from a phone, shone down at the top of the second staircase to the left, and there he was. Her Alexander was dressed in a dark blue suit with golden accents- by far the fanciest thing he’d ever worn- and his smile with wide but shaky as he began making his way to her while talking.

“Elizabeth Schuyler! My Eliza, my sweetheart, my love, my one-and-only, my everything, my Person, and my Betsey,” Alexander announced with clarity despite his eyes being wide and the sweat adorning his brow. “I suppose I do not have to tell you how much you mean to me, but I shall now as I shall for the rest of our days. You have done more for me than any other person as, including my family, whom I would not have had if not for you in primary. You saw a scared boy, one who was behind so many barriers that he hardly remembered who he was beyond his suffering and internally agony, and you responded with strength and kindness that resonated with him more than anything else. You nurtured me without allowing me to give you the same shit he’d given everyone else. You showed me what love could be if I’d give it a chance, and you held my hand as you walked with me through the darkness of my mind and into daylight. You found me when I couldn’t even begin to understand myself, but you and I are more than what either of us have been through. You have been my top confidante from the moment I arrived in New York City. We have grown up together, seen the worst parts of each other and refused to budge regardless. We have made millions of mistakes and had millions of victories, both big and small. You and I may be whole people, but I cannot fathom a life without you by my side. I have given myself completely to you, as you have done for me, and I reckon I will spend the rest of my life falling in love with you even more. I love you with the kind of sincerity and passion that I could have never tangibly grasped before I knew you and changed for the better, and I wish for you to never doubt, not for a single moment, of the significance and goodness of what we have. Betsey…what I’m trying to say is…”

Alexander was in front of her now, his hands holding hers as the two of them gazed deeply into each other’s eyes and tears streamed freely down both of their faces in unison with their uncontrollable smiles. He slowly released his hold and got to one knee, and though she’d once promised herself she’d never do what countless others had before her, she covered her mouth and gasped as he pulled out a gorgeous, glittering ring from within his suit pocket and held it up to her.

“Elizabeth Phillipa Schuyler…will you do this helpless, smitten, and still-growing man the honor of becoming my bride? Th…th-that is to say…will you marry me?”

Eliza slowly got to her knees, the same way she’d done when she’d met his younger brother all that time ago, and threw her arms around his neck while kissing him passionately. The two of them. The pair of them broke apart after nearly a full minute, their eyes shining more brightly than any star in the sky as they smiled and held tightly to the other, as though the held the entire universe and they could not imagine letting go.

“S-so…you will?”

“Oh, Alexander,” she said with a overjoyed and tearful laugh. “ _Of course_ I will. And if you ask me if I love you with more expansivity than the entire English language, more intensely than our trust in each other, and as truly as you love me…I do. I do…I do…I do, I do, I do!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I know what the ending was? Not particularly- 
> 
> Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment (!!!) if it so compels you!


	18. In Sickness and In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eighteen: Nurse Alexander/Eliza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This, as well as Day Seventeen, were originally published: 12-27-19 
> 
> Also, this one ended up being extremely bittersweet and also one of my favorites that I've written for this month~

As per usual, Alexander was awoken in the early hours of the morning. Unusually, it was not the sound of the baby crying, but from a combination of his wife’s absence in bed as well as the sounds of her violently getting sick in the bed pan.

“Betsey?” He murmured against the darkness, blinking away the tendrils of sleep as he struggled to make out more than her darkened, hunched silhouette. “Betsey, what plagues you?”

Eliza’s response came out croaked and strained, as though every syllable exhausted her. “Do not fret, dear heart. I simply seem to have caught another dosage of morning illness. Please return to sleep and I will join you shortly.”

“Morning illness is common during pregnancy, but we have had our Alex for nearly a month,” Alexander insisted softly. “Are you stricken with fever?”

“I insist to you that I am fine,” Eliza insisted, but another round of nausea seemed to overtake her as her figure collapsed forward once more and she began once purging anything from her stomach.

Alexander did not waste any further time getting to his feet and lighting the bedside candles, finding his way to her side by their light. He felt of her forehead, which was as blazing as he’d expected it to be, before making his way outdoors to fetch a first bucket of cold water from their well. His wife was sick, very much so, and they had a newborn baby that fully depended on her. He would have to arrange for a wet nurse and a doctor to inspect his Betsey at once; they could not afford to loss their tiny Alex by way of a bodily poison, not under any circumstances, and he could not afford to lose her with the same urgency. Thoughts of his mother, his poor, frail, bedridden and suffering mother, of how he desperately tried to save her when he was hopelessly unable to care for himself, of how he woke up to the recently stained sheets and the smell of death too prominent to deny as he lay curled in her arms. In order to prevent his grief from rendering him unable, he pushed it back into the deepest parts of his mind as he labored up the fresh water for his Betsey.

Eliza was still hunched over when he returned, her face bright red against the dancing candlelight and shiny with tears. He came to her side, wringing out the washcloth he’d retrieved from their linen cupboard before beginning to clean off her face and help seat her in his nearby reading chair. He knew she likely wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, but their sheets were sodden with sweat and other bodily fluids, and he knew it would be best to change them before tucking her in.

“I will fetch you a clean bucket and clean our bed pan,” Alexander assured her before she could make any attempt to protest or assist him. “I want you to sit there and try to steady your breathing. Here, I will refill your glass with this water, and you may sip on it. If the baby wakes, I will tend to him. I implore you to rest.”

“Alexander…” Eliza murmured, voice heavy with delirium and misery, and he quickly brushed a thumb over her trembling lips before bringing the glass up to her face.

“Drink,” he crooned in a voice that he hoped dearly resembled how hers sounded steady and loving when he himself was so often laid up with his relentlessly reoccurring afflictions.

Much to his relief, she was obedient, and he was thereafter able to strip their sheets and set them in the laundry basin before going out cleaning their bedpan in the deadness of a night not yet relinquishing itself to dawn. He extinguished his candle flame at least twice and was forced to change into his daytime clothing with fresh undergarments thanks to his hasty clumsiness, but he was able to complete his task well and return to again help his wife drain her cup just before he laid out their fresh bedding. By the time all of these things had transpired, little Pip was wailing out in hunger, and he brought the infant into his arms and soothed him to the best of his ability while racking his brain for a solution.

“I need to feed him.” His Eliza called out, her arms already halfway into revealing her chest. “He has…to eat...”

“I will give him a bit of syrup and he will settle until he can be fed properly,” Alexander reasoned. “I do not want him in proximity to whatever has stolen your health, my sweet and most loving wife.”

“Alexander…I will have none of that.” For a moment, her voice was strong, so resolute that he knew immediately that there was no argument to be had. “A mother’s milk…shall cure nearly all that ails her young by way of environment and body. It is widespread belief, and I have proven witness…to it…many times. Give…I need…He needs…”

Her voice was more fragile than parchment, giving way to a tremendously pained bout to coughing and gaggling that sent him diving forward to hold a fresh pail beneath her mouth. Once the worst of it subsided, Alexander reluctantly relinquished their boy to his mother, coaching himself reminders to trust her maternal intuition and that she would never- not even within the arms of Death- do a thing that would not benefit their children. As Alex nursed and she seemed to relax back into the chair, he selected a fresh nightgown for her and readied the area to tend to his son’s undoubtedly soiled diaper.

“Such a brave boy,” Alexander crooned to his son once Eliza limply offered him once he’d finished filling his tiny belly. “And such a patient boy, too! My darling little lamb! My sweet little lamb~”

Once the infant had been lulled to contentment that would soon lead to sleep, Alexander changed his wife almost entirely independently, shushing any apology she offered until she was safely back in their bed with the washcloth set over her forehead and the pail nearby. He would call for the doctor first thing upon the waking hours of the city, and until then, he settled himself onto a stool to be ready if one of their little ones needed him along with their mother. Surely enough, he’d been called away to feed their Phillip and Angelica as the sun caressed the sky and had tended to Alex Jr. at least three times before he was able to alert the neighbors to fetch the nearest physician. Eliza had awoken by the time he’d resettled their five-year-old and three-year-old, and he gave her a weary but kind smile as he resettled at her side.

“You will be alright,” Alexander assured both her and himself as he gingerly lifted her hand and kissed it. “I will see to it myself. Do not fret about a thing other than your health and your needs, and I pray that you shall see to it to the degree you are able that these worries are swiftly tended to and soothed. I am your humble, expectant, and most honored servant, my Betsey.”

“…Thank you, my Hamilton,” Eliza whispered with the ghost of a smile before she coughed weakly and curled her fingers into a feeble hold round his own. “I could not have asked for a better nurse.”

He, a nurse, when he had not been able to save his dear mother and was so unable to care for himself in his own time of sickness? Alexander would have to work ceaselessly at attending to everything that both of them would normally do until she returned to full health- she simply _had_ to return to full health- but he had never been one to shy away from his greatest challenges so far.

“And I could not have asked for a better patient.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos (!!!)/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment (!!!) if it so compels you! ♥


	19. Sugar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt/Day Nineteen: Cooking/Baking Together, featuring modern Hamliza and two of the youngest Hamilkids!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-29-19, as I seem determined to be forever ten days behind on this project...

“Baaaaaakeeeee!”

Alexander raised an eyebrow at his youngest daughter, peering over his desk at the child who was expectantly looking up to him with her trusty stuffed bear in one hand and her other tiny hand on her hip. Lizzie had always been a child full of caprice in combination with tender kindness, so while it was not terribly unusual to have her take on such a strong attitude, he was admittedly not expecting it aimed at himself, especially unprovoked.

“Be polite, little one,” he warned in a stern tone. “Now, what is it that you want?”

“ _Baaaaaakkkeeeeee_!” The four-year-old whined more adamantly now, her small arms securing themselves around one of his own and beginning to pull at him with all her might. “ _Pleeeeaaassseee_!”

“’Bake?’” Alexander repeated, dumbfounded. “Bake what, little lamb?”

“You bake!” Lizzie pointed up to him now, determination glinting her big brown eyes that were practically copied from her mother (much like the rest of her.) “You bake _peas_!”

“You want peas?” Alexander gave the girl a gentle smile and smoothed back her lengthy hair, his hands gingerly guiding her toward the door. “If you’d like something to eat, go ask your mama. I have a lot of work to do before my deadli-”

“ _PAPA_!” The girl whined admittedly now, plopping to the ground at once and wrapping all of her limbs in a death grip around his leg. “Puh- _lease_ , no peas!! We baaaaakeee! We bake _with_ Mama pllleeeeaaaasssseee!”

He had to admit, that was hard to resist. Grappling with his last line of defense in remaining with his work, Alexander gently stroked Lizzie’s hair once more while beginning to attempt working her away from his leg. “You would have to ask your mother first, and as I said, I am very, very busy right now-”

Seemingly on cue, Eliza appeared in the doorframe to his office with a smile, her light blue apron already adorned with flour and their seven-year-old William hugging on to her side with a massive grin. “Alexander, she _did_ ask very politely on my behalf. We have to model good behavior, correct?”

There was certainly an argument to be made that just because something is wanted does not mean it always occurs, but the words were lost on Alexander as soon as he thought of them. His incredible, loyal wife was waiting for him along with two of his youngest children, and they were all awaiting for him to do some simple baking. He had not always been able to do such things with his older children- two, nearly three of which, were in university- and that final thought propelled him to his feet with a dramatic sigh and a smile that Lizzie immediately mirrored with delight.

“I suppose I have no choice, then!” He announced with the same dramatics. “Lead the way, my loving and wise family!”

“YAY!” Lizzie leapt to her feet at once, seizing his hand and dragging him past a giggling William and Eliza with more energy than Alexander was sure he’d ever possessed.

In their kitchen, Alexander found their table and their countertops to be entirely covered in flour, the table and one countertop each adorned with a massive ball of dough. Eliza slipped past him as he stared in astonishment at the array of cookie cutters and sheets of metal that were littered across each surface in addition to every supply he could possibly fathom that could be used in cookies. Before he had a chance to protest, she slipped an apron over his head and tied it tautly in the back, and upon both of his children giggling wildly he realized that it read ‘World’s Okay-est Chef’.

“I take offense to that!” He whined at once, turning to his wife before she could finish pulling his hair back into a ponytail. “I am not entirely lost by way of food preparation!”

“You are a proficient cook,” Eliza conceded before playfully tapping his wrinkled nose. “But your baking is quite a different tale, I seem to recall…”

“If you are referring to those brownies I attempted to make while you were pregnant with Phillip, I already _told_ you that is was your siblings’ idea to maximize the heat, and-!”

“Papa, you told us that if we gotta deny it before we’re ac…accu…accused that we’re probably guilty!” William chimed in with a blush and a grin, one that immediately made his father’s face burn hot and his mother and sister titter as well.

“My own flesh and blood, using my own words against me!” Alexander lamented before scooping the boy up and unleashing a flurry of tickles to his belly. “The _horror_! The _indignity_!”

William immediately burst into a fit of giggles, inevitably leading to Alexander scooping up his daughter and causing everyone to dissolve into laughter and hugs to cease the tickly attacks. Once the playful shenanigans had fully died down, Eliza assigned him and Lizzie to rolling out the already-formed balls of dough while she and William went about making more. The father and daughter duo began to rock the roller back and forth across the top of the spherical food, Lizzie’s movements just as much in time with their device, and he was pretty proud of how it came out until Eliza told him (through fond laughter) that it was still full of lumps, and that going top-down only made the underside lopsided. He quickly abandoned the roller, thereafter, pushing down the raw cookie sheet until it was full of finger indents but otherwise pretty smooth in his opinion.

“Honey…” Eliza said carefully, immediately encouraging him to throw his hands up in surrender and sigh dramatically.

“I am a lost cause!” Alexander lamented. “I ought to be banished from the kitchen!”

“Don’t be a wet blanket, Papa!” William giggled. “You can help me instead!!”

“Very well, my sweet little lamb!” The father conceded with a small smile to his son. “Only for you!”

It turned out that his seven-year-old knew much more about reciting the ingredients from memory, so his father went along with his recommendations and passed along the bowls to his wife and daughter until everything was laid out neatly to be cut. This, it turned out, was the easiest and most oddly satisfying part, as Alexander was proficient at dividing out the various shapes to get maximum cookies from their dough as well as cleanly lifting them from the crust. Eliza did have to rescue them from the sheets he’d taken before he popped them in oven so they could be chilled (in order to hold their shape, she said), but otherwise they went in without a hitch and the children quickly scurried off to play while their parents wrapped their arms around each other and began to slow rock/slow dance in the warmth of the room.

“I am truly grateful that you came out to do this with them,” Eliza murmured as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “We’ve been having such a wonderful time spending time with you.”

“As I have with you all,” Alexander assured softly. “Perhaps I should do this more often?”

“Undoubtedly,” she affirmed with a smile back to him before she kissed his own neck and turned to hold him properly.

Their domestic intimacy did not last as long as it took for their treats to bake, unfortunately. Around the halfway mark, as a matter of fact, Eliza cried out as she peered into the window of the oven and quickly pulled out at least three of sheets. With horror, Alexander realized they were all the creations he’d made with William, and that said cookies were now a complete mess that was overflowing from their pans as well as bubbling as his wife set them out to cool.

“What on Earth did you put in these cookies?” She asked with an expression mixed between held-back laughter and disbelief.

“Ask your son!” Alexander whined as said children hurried in, asking what happened and clearly spooked.

“Why did you rely on a seven-year-old to remember the ingredients correctly?” Eliza asked, not terribly unkindly, before kneeling down to William’s letter with her signature patient smile. “Honey? What do you put in the bowl to make cookies?”

William began to list off the ingredients and the amounts he remember to put in, all of which sounded normal to Alexander, but when he finished Eliza gently smoothed back his hair and turned back to her husband with a weakly concealed smile. “Alexander…A word to the wise: Do not allow a child to estimate the amount of sugar to put in any recipe.”

“Too much sugar makes them do that??”

“In combination with being a bit short on the flour? Yes, evidently.”

It was lost cause not to laugh. Lizzie giggled softly, then it grew into more impassionate laughter, and the composure of everyone was lost. As a matter of fact, Eliza had to hide her face in Alexander’s neck thanks to how much she was shaking with her amusement, and Alexander found himself having to wipe his eyes after several rounds of becoming somewhat composed, only to crack up once more when he looked at his ‘cookies.’

“I suppose we’ll have to remake these, then,” Eliza finally managed as they all settled back down. “We could always send bits of this…creation to our far less-picky older children, or put it outside for the Earth… I’d hate to waste it, after all.”

“Can we still decorate it?” William suddenly interjected, eyes shiny with hope.

“Dec-rate!” Lizzie chimed in eagerly.

The two parents looked at each other, and Alexander simply gave her a grin before kneeling down to their beloved little ones. “You know what? I don’t see why not!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, I really love how this one turned out! Please remember to leave kudos/share/bookmark/subscribe/leave a comment if it so compels you! ♥


	20. The Journey Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day/Prompt Twenty: Falling Asleep on Each Other with Historical Hamliza. Based on a very fantastic story by the incredible as_with_a_sunbeam_!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-29-19

The fresh air all around them felt fantastic despite the heat tinging upon the pleasantness. Eliza and her very dear Alexander had defied the odds pitted severely against their survival, each of them cured from the dastardly yellow fever by the generous, intellectual, and surely God-sent childhood friend of her husband’s, Doctor Edward Stevens. Despite the breaking of their afflictions, both of them remained quarantined from their beloved children for a bit longer in the event that the disease ravaged through their townhome yet again. It never did, thankfully, and the two of them seemed to have built up an immunity to the deadly affliction that finally convinced the two of them to return to their beloved New York. They took the income they’d received from her husband’s newest essay, which concerned the miracle and legitimacy of Stevens’ doctoring while denouncing the more widespread practices of Doctor Benjamin Rush, in order to make the long journey back to their family, and after two days of prolonged carriage riding and a sense of terrible paranoia for looters and thieves had left the two of them positively exhausted.

“Are you feeling alright, my darling?” Alexander murmured to her as he sat upright and faced ahead to ensure their carriage drivers were still making their expected time against the light, which was beginning to fade with the lowering sun. “Your face is positively red.”

“It is in response to exposure to sunlight,” Eliza murmured lethargically.

“My dear! You must keep your delicate features covered and comfortable!” Alexander quickly pulled her headdress further over her forehead and began fumbling to lift their makeshift tent, which was made of blankets tied to several large cuts of wood and helped the most during dawn and just before dusk.

“Do not get yourself worked up and weaken yourself on something that is trivial,” Eliza insisted softly, though her lips were chapped severely and scrunching her face hurt immensely. “Please join my side properly once you finish.”

Though he seemed reluctantly, her husband obeyed once reminding their escorts that they needed to stop in the nearest city to stay in the cleanest hotel available. Eliza pulled herself to her side in order to look into his eyes, which were as brilliantly blue as ever between the deep bruises beneath them and the redness surrounding them. She gingerly kissed him and relished how he returned it, her slightly less burnt hands finding his and squeezing as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the shade their canopy provided.

“I am so ready to be home, my Hamilton,” she mumbled against his ear. “I long for the comfort of it all, and to embrace our darling children so that I will never have to be apart from them for dreadfully long again.”

“I know, my Betsey, I know…” He whispered, his own voice hoarse and aching from all of his energy exertion. “We will be with them before you can imagine it, my love.”

“How I hope you are right.”

A few tears formed and escaped from her eyelids, and nearly at once her most treasured life partner was atop her, his arms securing around her smaller frame as they both sighed out in their discontentment mixed their affection for each other. Her back and hips had just begun to ache after an underminable amount of time, and she was about to request he reposition when a small sound like sounded suspiciously like a snore came from her husband. Once she opened her eyes to get a better look, she found Alexander’s head to be nestled to her chest and his face completely relaxed in his slumber, the rest of his body equally lax as it was pressed to her. Despite the heat and her own desire to move about more, Eliza quickly resettled the best she could and leaned her head against one of his arms, her eyes fluttering shutting again and sleep taking her before she could decide it formally for herself.

When she awoke, Alexander was gingerly stroking her cheek with his thumb, his body still steady and comforting against her own. He smiled lightly to her, told her that one of their coachmen had been generous enough to encourage relatives of his who’d also survived and recently returned from their own bouts of the fever to open their home for the evening and night. She murmured something about rewarding them handsomely with goods once they returned home as well as home written letters, and he agreed while carefully helping her to her wobbling legs and helping her walk inside the tidy home.

“We will be home before you know it,” he whispered again in her ear as the two of them practically collapsed into their anointed bed.

“Before we know it,” Eliza echoed with a small smile of her own before sliding atop him and letting sleep take them both in its’ comforting embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	21. Post His Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day/Prompt Twenty-One: After the Pamphlet with Historical Hamliza. I may have not done this completely right, but I am still really happy with the outcome-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-29-19
> 
> I read that Eliza actually encouraged Hamilton historically to out the affair in order to not suffer all the more for it. I do know for a fact at the very least that he confessed to her right after she returned to NYC, and she'd forgiven him by the time the pamphlet was published!

After he confessed to the affair, Elizabeth Hamilton did not speak more than a few words at a time to her husband. After he confessed to the affair, she had him sleep his office and lent his clothes to him without direct contact. After he confessed to the affair, she did not wear her wedding ring- a piece of jewelry that she was sure meant nothing at all anymore- for several months. After he confessed to the affair, she drifted further and further from her true love than she ever thought possible, but even after he confessed to the affair, they both found forgiveness and a love forged of something stronger than either of them could have anticipated in the earliest days of their courtship.

The entirety of the world watched her husband with power and greed distorting their views and faces. Speculations sprouted up in the streets, the whispers growing to a dull rumble that eventually felt like a roar. Her Alexander had not slept properly in days at the very least, weeks at the most. Stress adorned his face permanently with nothing that could be done to alleviate it, and it took its toll on all of their children as well as on herself. The public wanted- no, _demanded_ answers to the rumors of emblement and infidelity. The answers to the receipts was clear to each Hamilton who could grasp them and had long since been forgiven and put in the past, and yet the resurfacing was too much to ignore any longer.

“I propose that you come clean about the true nature of those transactions.” They were alone in his office when she suggested it, and she’d looked up from a quilting project in order to deliver the proposition she’d been thinking on for around two weeks.

Understandably, Alexander was shocked and seemed to be appalled as he visibly startled and turned to look at her. “You are of the opinion that I air my dirty laundry concerning Maria Reynolds and expose you all to the public backlash of my own failings? I could never do such a thing!”

“I know.” Eliza kept her expression calm despite the sadness she could not keep from her eyes. “That is why I know I must give you my blessing to do so.”

“Betsey, I know this is all extraordinarily taxing on the soul to bear, and I know it is solely my to blame for it. But all of this is petty gossip making its’ turn through the rumor mill, and it shall soon be forgotten and behind all of us,” Alexander bargained. Even to the naked eye, it would have been plain to see he was lying to both of them.

“Thomas Jefferson has struck a blow below the belt, and I do not intend to see your political pursuits irreparably damaged by allowing any further action to take place concerning the legality of your financials,” she replied evenly. “It is the best thing to do. I have not come to this decision lightly or without much forethought, but I reckon you agree with me.”

Guilt banged his features, and despite how he’d once torn her heart to pieces that seemed to pierce her very soul in doing something so terribly _wrong_ by their family, Eliza felt sorry for him. After all, he had more than paid the price of his transgressions and maintained being an top-tier father and man to both their children and her. Though it was her husband who had begun this quarrel in venturing into Jefferson’s private acts (of which were much more severe and far closer to the truth, she did acknowledge), this was a harsh blow that she would not allow to stand, not even for their overall public image. Alexander was right in one thing; it would blow itself over in time, and their family would remain together with all the strength, love, and dedication it had from when they themselves were let in on his sins.

“The children-” Alexander began weakly.

“I intend that we both talk it over with them before this public statement is published, but it is not going to be much different than what we have already endured. We have already lived through and conquered the hardest part,” Eliza rebuked gently. “You have been long-since forgiven by those who matter the most. It is time you see to it that your career does not rot away for fear of what we are willing to endure to protect each other, which very much includes you. We are yours, and you are ours.”

For several minutes, there was silence. Then, Alexander rose to his feet and walked before her, kneeling down to his knees and burying his face her gowns with a mighty, heartbroken sob. She found herself doing the same as she leaned over him, gathering him into her arms and eventually sliding into his lap as they wept and held each other as though they were only thing keeping the other from collapsing all together. When their cries had subsided to relief, and they looked to each other with puffy eyes and expressions hardened by resolve and bravery, they still each other gave each other an affectionate smile that’s’ warmth ignited hope in each other’s hearts.

They had been quite alright in time and in love after his confession. They would be quite alright in the same fashion now, and this time, Elizabeth Hamilton was silently but solidly behind her Alexander.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	22. Early Morning Delights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I swear this chapter is almost completely wholesome contrary to the chapter title being a bit of an innuendo, I swear!!
> 
> Day Twenty-Two: Breakfast, featuring some Modern! Hamliza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Note: There is mention of s*x at the very end, but that is all by way of adult topics! 
> 
> Originally Published: 12-29-19

It was nearly five in the morning when his plane finally allowed the passengers to exit into the airport and get on with their lives. Alexander found it positively ridiculous that they’d taxied around the landing area for over half an hour, but he was quite frankly too anxious to get as far away from the airport and into his wife’s arms to raise a fuss. He had just retrieved his baggage when he received a text from his lady, which beckoned him to look up and lead to him essentially tackling her (with careful mind to her protruding belly, of course) in a hug and a kiss that made them both laugh and dance around in each other’s loving embrace.

“Betsey, it is far too early in the morning for you to be awake!” Alexander exclaimed lovingly as they finally parted enough for them to head toward their car, all of his bags in tow and without one hand ever leaving the other’s.

“I insisted that I be here for my husband on the day he returned from his month-long trip and be here I am!” Eliza rebuked with a gentle smile. “Pip has been at his Grandma and Grandpa’s all night, so it’s just us for today.”

“Excellent. We have a lot of lost time to make up for,” he purred in her ear, sending her into a fit of shy giggles and blushing with delight along with himself.

“Before that, though…” She drawled, almost mischievously. “Could we go get a proper breakfast? Say…at IHOP?”

Truthfully, Hamilton wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep for the next half century in his own bed. But his wife had already done so much in being here for him, and he’d never been to this ‘International House of Pancakes’, and he did truly feel as though he were starving again, so he agreed with a smile and a bit of teasing about her sweet tooth. Once they arrived, they found the place to be much livelier than either of them had been expecting, but all of the patrons seemed half-asleep or far too awake with no in between, and the staff was polite but not in their face, just how Alexander preferred it.

“I thought this place was just about breakfast!” He exclaimed as he opened his lamented, vibrantly colored menu.

“It is,” Eliza replied with a raised eyebrow. “Well…for the most part, anyway.”

“For the most part?” Alexander repeated while throwing his hands up in feigned exasperation. “No! This is the place for _pancakes_ , not _burgers_!”

“Alexander!” She protested with a whine and a bit of laughter. “Contain your excitement, some people are still waking up!”

Though he feigned as though it pained him greatly, Alexander settled on scanning the menu quietly and ordering banana crepes while his wife got a heaping pile of chocolate chip pancakes. The two of them chatted about nothing and everything in their little corner booth, their legs intertwined, their hands unable to drift too far away from the other. She decided to treat herself with a fruit smoothie, so in addition to his usual pot of coffee, he decided to have some chocolate milk to mirror their meals fully in a way.

“Pip and I have missed you terribly,” Eliza mused softly when their conversation full into a natural lull and they were primarily gazing into each other’s eyes. “I know I’ve said at least a million times, but I seem to have no other way to express how _glad_ we are to have you back.”

“I do not intend to leave like that again anytime,” he assured just before their entrees arrived. “I will do everything in my power to see that it isn’t so.”

His crepes were delectable, but with all of the delighted expressions his wife was making over hers, he could not help but to attempt at stealing a bite off of her plate. Of course, he wasn’t quick enough, and she caught his fork within her own with a teasing glare despite the grin on her face.

“You know, all you have to do is ask,” she pointed out before cutting off a piece of his own food with her butter knife.

“My ever-loving and disobedient wife wounds me!” He teased in return. “Shall I feed you as though you were our mischievous little one?”

“Won’t you spare me the labor of eating with my own capable hands?” Eliza gave him another smile and he melted despite the playfulness of this all.

“Anything for you,” he said in complete sincerity before beginning to feed her meal to her.

The genuinely within their play seemed to stun his wife entirely for a few bites, but then she began to do the same for him, and they were both messy-faced and full of good food and a lot of laughter as they finished up and finally finished the drive back to their home. As it would seem, he would not be simply sleeping in their bed for a bit longer, but he’d be a foolish man to deny either two of his favorite activities to do with the love of his life.


	23. Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day/Prompt Twenty-Three: Disney!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-30-19 
> 
> Gentle reminder that I'm writing a whole fairy-tale AU thing based on Disney stories along with classics and a lot of other things that are full of excitement and adventure, so please, check it out if it so compels you! It is the story 'By Degrees' on this account! ♥

It wasn’t a surprise in Alexander’s mind that he’d never been to Disney World or even seen most of the movies, but according to Eliza, that was completely unacceptable. Alexander had consequently found himself pulled from his office every night for over three months to ensure that he watched a film a night with her, and when she finally decided he’d seen enough, she announced to him that she was set on booking them a vacation to ‘the most magical place on Earth’ and insisted on figuring out dates that would work for both of them to spend a week there. Of course he’d made excuses for feeding his natural inclination to be an absolute workaholic, but she’d ultimately worn him down with her knowledge of how he’d enjoyed the time with her recently and he also loved some of the movies, so they were soon at Walt Disney World and Eliza could not have been happier.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl!” She reminded him as they set out for their first day in the parks. “Oh, I just can’t wait to bring _our_ little ones here, and watch them grow up with all of the magic and characters that we all love~”

He could not help but flush with pride at the prospect of children, of _their_ children, being able to indulge themselves and celebrate life in a way he used to think was impossible for himself. “We may need to see to it that we get pregnant first, my love.”

Her eyes sparkled with something he could not quite place before she clasped his hand and hurried toward the shuttle buses. “Look, our ride is approaching! Hurry, Alexander!”

The two of them made a mad dash for the line and boarded while panting and holding onto each other while they laughed in their excitement. As they travelled toward the ‘Magic Kingdom’ park, Alexander was amused and impressed to hear a friendly voice of the intercom- presumably their bus driver, or just something pre-recorded- speaking on the basic rules of the park while advertising many of the fun activities that could be found there. Once they disembarked their bus, Eliza set right along in pulling him through the park with absolute ease and with such navigational skills that she barely glanced at the map he was checking every couple of minutes. He was content to be boarded onto calmer rides with his wife from ‘Dumbo the Flying Elephant’ to ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’ to the ‘Magic Carpets of Aladdin’. He personally took liberty in insisting they visit the Hall of Presidents and the Mine Trains, which he did with her either patiently at his side while he raved about the historical figures or with her nearby to gather pictures from the kiosks. He repaid her by going on the (insufferable) ‘It’s a Small World’ and the less-thrilling Main Street Vehicles.

They even got the opportunity to meet two of the princesses, one of which was Eliza’s favorite and the other of which was one Alexander saw a bit of himself in. Princess Rapunzel and Princess Tiana were before them in all of their elegance, each of them as royal and seemingly flawless as ever as they talked to the guests before them and posed for ‘portraits’, sending everyone away beaming and starry-eyed.

“Oh, Alexander…” Eliza whispered as they got to the front and the family before them went up. “I’m so nervous.”

“Of what, my love?” Alexander told himself firmly that he was not going to bring up anything to taint the enchantment of this time for her, so he tried to comfort her more traditionally. “They are going to love you!”

“But what if they don’t?” She looked positively heartbroken at the idea. “What if I’m too awkward or say too much or bother them?”

“You won’t,” he assured with complete confidence. “And I’ll be right here when you’re done, baby. You’ve got this, Betsey.”

Rapunzel was now looking to them expectantly with a smile, and before he could protest, Eliza gripped his hand firmly and took them both right up to her. Alexander could hardly contain himself with how adorable it was when his lady hugged her favorite princess, and he was positively endeared when Rapunzel comforted her with ‘oh dear, please do not cry! This is a safe and happy place’ and even helped wipe away one of Eliza’s overjoyed tears.

“I-I’m sorry!” His poor Betsey exclaimed with a smile. “It’s just…so _incredible_ to meet you! I-I’ve been waiting for this moment for years!”

“I know what that feels like, Princess!” Rapunzel said with a grin while squeezing her hands. “I waited for _forever_ to leave my tower, and when I did…It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. I hope today is just as wonderful for you!”

“It is, it really is!” Eliza assured happily.

“And who is this handsome fellow?” Rapunzel turned to Alexander now, something that immediately made him blush as she curtsied lightly to him. “He reminds me so much of my Eugene!”

“This is Alexander!” Eliza chirped while pulling him to be closer to the two of them. “He’s my own savior and husband.”

“Oh, how romantic! I am so happy for you two!” Rapunzel practically squealed and danced in place before requesting a hug, which Alexander provided without complaint.

“It’s an honor to meet you,” he said politely. “Your story inspires me and so many others who know you. I know this is going to be one of the highlights of our coming here.”

“You both are too sweet!” The princess gushed as she wrapped both arms around them. “Please, come back any time! Now, shall we pose for a portrait?”

The photos were taken, and they were moved along to meet Princess Tiana, whose accent Alexander found to be spot-on and whose charm could not be understated. This time, he found himself to be the more flustered one as Eliza excitedly introduced both of them and discussed cooking tips with the chef-princes.

“You know…I also hail from a place that speaks French natively,” he finally managed before they took more ‘portraits’. “I…I’m from the island of Nevis.”

“All the way from Nevis, you say! That is very far across the river, I do believe!” Tiana said with a gasp and a smile to him that immediately put him at ease. “Well, I am certainly glad to have something in common with you, cousin! You’re both very welcome here anytime you like!”

“Y-yes, thank you!” Alexander blushed and squeezed his wife’s hand, who returned it and gave him a bright look of pride that made him feel all the warmer.

By the time they’d done all that and ate soely snacks and treats all day, both of them were more than ready for a proper meal.

“It is really is true that you can’t do any of the parks in one day,” Alexander mused as they sat down at one of the many restaurants that were themed but full of delicious, filling foods. “There is still much I would like to see and do, but it is nearly eight at night! The parks will be closing soon, and my knees have about had it!”

“Don’t worry, my Prince Charming,” Eliza replied fondly as she laced their fingers together. “I got Extra Magic Hours for three of the nights we’re here because this usually is how it goes. We’ve already stayed out longer than my parents ever could, at the very least!”

“Extra Magic Hours?” He repeated, then groaned and pressed his forehead gently to her knuckles. “My Lord, the promotional deals and tempting extras never end!”

“But of course! Disney may be memorable and enchanted, but it is still a massive corporation with an agenda,” she noted with a bit of sadness tinging her expression now. “They eat smaller businesses alive if they don’t buy them out, and they make more money than pretty much anyone could dream of, even the very-privileged like my family and I.”

She was completely correct, of course, but seeing her melancholy in such a phenomenal, unbelievable place like this still seemed _wrong_. He gently touched her face and stroked her hair back, giving her a reassuring smile as he leaned over to kiss her meaningfully. Once they broke apart, he kissed both of her hands and used the end of his unopened straw to boop her nose, something that made her crinkle it before giggling.

“No room for sadness here, Mrs. Hamilton!” He announced lovingly. “I will see to it personally!”

“Only if I am allowed to do the same with you!” She bargained, and he could not help but flush and preen under her affectionate words.

“As you wish, my darling.”

Once they’d filled their stomachs to their brims, they waddled back to their resort post the shuttle ride there and decided to take a swim before showering and turning in. Eliza looked as positively radiant as ever in her two-piece, her bottom a cute skirt-with-built-in-shorts that fell to her mid-thigh while her top resembled a corset. She was mostly content to swish her legs in the pool while he swam around, eventually tiring enough to float over to her on his back and lovingly tug at one of her feet.

“The water’s great,” he implored. “Why don’t you come all the way in?”

“The chorine isn’t good for my hair,” she teased. “I want it nice for the hairdressers tomorrow.”

He had no idea if it was common to get your hair trimmed for maintenance in Disney World, but it was her vacation too, he supposed. “We will be showering anyway, my sweet and amiable girl! Join me!”

“I must never relent, my Hamilton!” She teased again, lightly splashing him with her leg and making him squawk dramatically before getting back to his feet.

“Now you’ve done it!” He announced, bringing back both arms and launching two waves of water directly on her that made her squeal and laugh before he seized her legs and began to pull her in fully.

“Alexander! Alexander, the ink will stain the water!” She shrieked through her giggles, and though he was sure she was simply bluffing, he did take pause.

“What ink?” He demanded playfully. “I see no ink!”

“That’s…that’s because I’m wearing a coverup,” Eliza said with a nervous grin.

As he watched, she undid a small clasp on the side of the skirt-thing she’d been wearing and revealed a more standard bikini bottom that more closely matched her top. From just beneath said top, he did clearly see black ink, which was already dripping a bit onto her resting hands and legs. Before he could ask why she’d written on herself- before a swim, of all times! - she lifted the bottom half of her top and revealed the words clearly printed against her belly.

_Dreams Do Come True_

_January of 2022_

It took several moments for Alexander to process it. His wife was looking to him expectantly, her face full of nerves but tentative joy, and he finally found his words and movement after moments that relatively felt like hours. He let out a mighty cry of joy, something between a whoop and a declaration of ‘YES!’, and scooped her into his arms, spinning her around and cheering until they both went into the water fully and emerged with laughter.

“Now you’ve done it!” Eliza whined slightly through her giggles as they exited the water and the remnants of the marker drifted into the otherwise empty pool. “They’re going to have clean that and it will be our fault!”

“You are the one who chose to wear that to a body of water!” He lightly whined in her return before another blossom of affection rose through him and he kissed her deeply.

Parents. They were going to be parents, and he was going to have a chance to be a far better father than his while she’d be a mother as perfect as his. That evening, they took at least a hundred photos of what remained her handiwork and in their celebration of love and life, and they held each other tightly after they showered and retired to their king-sized bed to watch something from the Disney Channel until they both fell asleep in utter bliss.

The next morning, early enough to avoid the crowds, they took a picture to formally announce to their loved ones and the world that they were expecting. In it, both of them were holding a cluster of pink and blue Mickey balloons with the classic Disney icon inside of clear spheres, and they were kissing sweetly while holding ultrasound photos she’d evidently packed along for the surprise and a onesie that read ‘Our New Dream’ just above/behind the photos. He wore a shirt that read ‘At Last I See the Light’ and she read a matching one that responded, ‘Now That I See You’, and of course, the iconic Cinderella Castle stood proudly in the background.

Alexander determined then that Disney was, in fact, truly magical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to check out 'By Degrees' if you'd like, and please remember to- as always- leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	24. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt/Day Twenty-Four: In Front of the Fireplace, ft. Teenage (Modern) Hamliza and Sassy Young Alexander

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published: 12-30-19 
> 
> Also, I do believe I feel the 'Home' track from the Undertale score is intensified and appropriate for this entry!

“I absolutely insist!” Alexander knew that his father would much rather brave this snowstorm and get back to their equally cozy mansion with the rest of their family, but he also knew that there were fever less-movable forces that his girlfriend’s mother when she had her mind made up. “You will both have clothes to change into and we have more than enough to accommodate for any guests comfortably! Nobody should be out in this awful weather for any reason, Mister Washington. I’m quite sure your wife and other children will understand.”

“I suppose…you are right.” Alexander looked up to his father with a grin when he said I, but he was quickly was met with a stern but loving gaze from said adoptive parent. “But you and Eliza will _not_ be sharing a room tonight, young man.”

“Why would you even imply that I’d want to do that when I already know what the answer would be?!” The seventeen-year-old immediately retorted, his gaze darkening before he stormed further into the manor that was practically a second home. “Betsey! We’re staying over tonight after all!”

His gorgeous girlfriend, his most beloved Eliza, appeared at the steps at once with a huge smile on her face. “Really?? Oh Alex, that’s wonderful! We can have a sleepover!”

He could not help but smile as he hugged her, stealing a quick kiss from her lips before she insisted they do some ‘cozy cooking’ together for the family. The two of them worked together easily, like two pieces of a puzzle in perfect unison to create a beautiful picture, to make a small feast for her large family and his father. They made hot chocolate and baked cookies, and they joined the others in playing a few board games before everyone settled into the living room to watch holiday movies until most of her younger siblings fell asleep. Once their parents tucked everyone else in, the two guests were each given a guest room and his father was given instructions on where the nearest bathroom was and the like, and then all was quiet.

Too quiet, in Alexander’s opinion. He was adopted in a big, happy family like this one, so for everything to be so void of sound when it was still early in the night for him was disconcerting. He ended up going downstairs and settling up in front of the grand fireplace, which he manually rekindled and had enjoyed reading in front of many times before. It was all too common for him to be the only one still alert at hours like this, and he had accepted it despite the solitude somehow feeling more massive tonight.

“My Hamilton.” And before it felt as though any time had passed at all, there was his Betsey, now clad in a pale pink nightgown with yellow accents and stars across it. “What are you doing up so late?”

“I could ask the same of you,” he whispered back with a smile. “Are you having trouble sleeping?”

“Yes,” she admitted, then gestured to one of the fairly massive windows that sat on either side of the fireplace. “It started snowing again just a few minutes ago. I thought I’d come down here, maybe have a snack, and watch it where I’d have a better view.”

“A better view, huh?” Alexander closed his book and set it off to the side. “That sounds pretty good to me. Why don’t we make some popcorn and some more cocoa, and you can show me what you mean?”

Eliza smiled all the way up to her eyes, and he felt gooey inside as she helped him up easily. “You are a young man of true culture, Alexander Hamilton.”

“Anything for my lady of culture and now of the night,” he replied with a deep bow, sending them both tittering behind their hands as they silently hurried to the kitchen.

The two of them were settled beneath a thick blanket before long, one arm interlaced lightly with the other’s as they enjoyed their treats. The fireplace before them, though it was well-worn with age and use, held the flames that crackled against the chill of the room and kept the two of them comfortable in the silence that now felt like the blanket snuggling the two of them together. Outside, the snow fell against ground in complete silence, patches of the deep noir sky that was sprinkled with stars occasionally peeking through the deep grey clouds.

In the comfort and complete peace of this place with the young woman he already intended to marry, he supposed that any house could be a home if she were at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/leave a comment if it so compels you!


	25. Christmas Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Content Advisory: Grief, mourning over long-passed love ones. 
> 
> Prompt/Day Twenty-Five: Christmas, with Historical Hamliza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Publishing Date: 12-30-19
> 
> This prompt was probably meant to be happy and I went and gave us all Feelings-

When the last of their darling children had sat with their father’s resting place- some talking happily and excitedly, others solemn and fond, all of them crying- Eliza took her turn while Alex Jr. escorted his siblings to rejoin the Christmas festivities.

“It hardly seems as though it has been over ten years since your passing, my Hamilton,” she said softly as she settled into the frosted grass and solid dirt before his headstone. “I still miss you terribly, particularly when this time of year comes round. I suppose it will never feel fair that so many families get so many holidays to celebrate and enjoy each other’s presence, and yet I have lost you and so many members of my immediate family that I always shed tears before I can be festive. I know in my heart that God has a plan for all of us here, and that you are celebrating up in Heaven with those dear ones who have gone before myself, but I cannot help but to long for you, even if just for a little while. The day when we reunite will undoubtedly be a beautiful one…And until that glorious day, I will remain here with the rest of our beloved children and extended family, loving them and caring for them as I long to do for those we all have lost.”

As she did every time she visited his grave, she updated him about the activities, life events, and achievements for each of their living children. In the same fashion that she had since she lost him just three years after they’d live through the tragic murder of their eldest boy, she delicately placed one flower she’d chosen from Phillip’s expansive bouquet and set it before the tombstone before placing the full bouquet she’d selected for her husband down as well (minus one flower, which she’d left in an identical fashion at Phillip’s grave.) She talked of her own dreams and life, and the friends she’d made and maintained as well as all of the ways that she was trying to preserve their legacy as well as help all that he’d created continue to flourish. She told him of how she stood up in his honor, how she did not let his enemies sour his name or dare disrespect herself or their family. By the end, she’d wept quietly, her tears freezing a bit to her face if she did not wipe them, and she set about rising and retrieving the last things she brought for this visit from her basket.

“As per usual, here is this year’s new quill, just in case you need it and visit here to retrieve it,” she said softly before tucking it within his bouquet. “And here is a letter from me, so that you will always know in your soul how I adore you, and how I cherish the knowledge that we shall come together in a world far more glorious than this one. I love you, my Alexander.”

As she finished adjusting her gifts to her late husband and stood up, Eliza paused, gazing somewhere beyond the cemetery and his massive alter. If she listened closely in the gentle blowing of the winter wind, it almost sounded as though his voice- her _Alexander_ ’s voice- whispering ‘Betsey.’ It felt so real that she could almost touch it, and she gave his final resting place a warm smile tinged with her grief before placing a gentle, sincere kiss to the center of his monument.

“Merry Christmas, my Alexander.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/leave a comment if it so compels you, my dears.

**Author's Note:**

> Please remember to leave kudos/subscribe/bookmark/share/write a comment if it so compels you!


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